After a nearly five-month layoff, Olivia Ford returned to the ring this past week and did so in spectacular fashion.
Ford traveled to Wichita, Kansas, to compete in the 2024 National Junior Olympics and Summer Festival, which is hosted by USA Boxing. There, she posted a pair of dominating wins en route to the gold medal in the Female Youth Division at 165 pounds.
“As a coach, I couldn't be more proud of Olivia,” said Shawn McFadden, owner of Cerberus Boxing in Madison Township. “She did an excellent job in both fights. Every single judge on the panel gave her every single round except for one, and we're not sure what that judge was looking at.”
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Capturing the crown
Ford, who is now a senior high honors student at Western Wayne, dominated both her semifinal and championship bouts.
She opened her gold medal quest on Wednesday against Chastity Scott, an opponent she knows well.
The two last met in December down in Louisiana when Ford powered her way to a hard-fought victory. Scott was on a mission to avenge that loss and came out with guns blazing.
“She was definitely champing at the bit,” McFadden said. “She came at Olivia hot and heavy right from the start, but Olivia weathered the storm.”
Ford countered her opponent's raw aggression with polished technique, using her jab and side-stepping Scott to take away the angle. Ford counter punched effectively all through the bout, frustrating Scott and piling up points.
By the end of the three-round showdown, it was clear to McFadden, the fans and the judges that Ford had prevailed. Just moments after the final bell, the referee raised Ford's hand in triumph following a 4-1 decision.
“That was my first fight in about five months so I had to knock off a little bit of ring rust,” Ford said. “It was a good fight, but I don't think I performed as well as I could have.
“I was really happy to win, but I'm my own biggest critic. I'm a student of the sport and will be until the day I retire. I'm always learning and trying to get better.”
That victory catapulted Ford into the finals where she was expecting a rematch with Mackenzie Hatfield. A junior at Excelsior Springs High School in Missouri, Hatfield dealt Ford a heart-breaking split decision loss in the finals of the Silver Gloves last February.
McFadden and Ford had put together a solid game plan for the fight, but were stunned when Hatfield was upset in the semifinals by Talia Corbin.
“She's a very tough fighter with very good fundamentals,” McFadden said. “So on Thursday we drilled and drilled on things I thought would work. Then Olivia just went out there and executed perfectly.”
Ford dominated the fight from start to finish, winning all three rounds on all five of the judges' scorecards. She moved fluidly, dancing around Corbin, using her jab continuously in setting up a piston-like straight right hand.
Ford's unanimous decision earned her the national title at 165. Her overall record now stands at 10-3-0 with two stoppages.
“I felt good physically, but I was definitely a little bit nervous,” she said. “Thankfully, my boxing IQ is improving and things in the ring are starting to slow down for me.
“I think this was definitely my best fight so far. My opponent applied pressure, but that allowed me to use more of an outside style. I used the jab to keep her back and kept winning exchanges in the pocket … or, as coach likes to say 'fighting in a phone booth.'”
Long and winding road
McFadden and Ford embarked upon their journey on June 19 and returned home July 2.
In between bouts, McFadden made sure that Ford maintained her training regimen. The veteran coach oversaw workouts that included running, shadow boxing, basketball and ring drills … most of which took place outside in 100 degree heat.
All told, the intrepid duo covered nearly 3,000 miles and traversed six states. Along the way, they also took time out for a couple of side trips, like visiting Dodge City and stopping off in Illinois to sample authentic Chicago style pizza.
“After a week of hard work, coach always likes to have a little fun and give me a learning experience at the same time,” Ford said. “The pizza was amazing and so was learning about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.”
One of the highlights of the trip was meeting Trisha Morrison, widow of the late Tommy Morrison who was once the WBO heavyweight champion of the world.
Morrison, who also starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in Rocky 5, died in 2013 after a brief illness. He was 44 years old.
“She was very gracious with her time,” Ford said. “We got to reminisce and talk about some of Tommy's fights and about how he still influences the boxing world today.”
What's next for Ford?
McFadden has organized a spaghetti dinner to help support Ford's next adventure, which is a trip down south to defend her title at the second annual Women's National Boxing Championships.
The fundraiser is slated for July 14 at the Regal Room in Olyphant, a month ahead of the tournament, which will be held August 14-21 in Lafayette, Louisiana.
If you'd like to attend the dinner or make a donation to Olivia's ultimate quest, which is the 2028 Olympic Games, please visit the Cerberus Boxing Facebook or Instagram page.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Western Wayne senior Olivia Ford wins national boxing title
