LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Fighting at the USA Boxing National Junior Olympics and Summer Festival last week in Wichita Kansas 17 years old Western Wayne High-School senior Olivia Ford won yet another national title in the 165lb weight class and remains the #1 fighter in the US.
“We went out the night before each fight to try to maintain our weight and we would drill and drill for like a couple hours. It paid off,” said Olivia.
Ford with a split decision over Houston's Chasity Scott in her 1st match then the major 5-0 a win on all five of the cards defeating Taliyah Corbin of New Mexico
“More specifically the finals I think that it was one of my best fights technically and stuff and even the preliminary match it was my first time fighting through 3-minute rounds,” again said Olivia.
Shawn McFadden and Bill Sabatelli are the co-trainers for Ford.
“She showed up every day. Even when nobody else did. It got to the point that I couldn't refuse to be her coach anymore. And I told her one of the very first things that I said is that we are not going to watch you take a beating. So, we are going to have to focus on head movement and defense and footwork,” said Shawn.
Part of Olivia's training involves training here in the outdoors at Madison Township. She will run these country roads split wood and she will flip these tires all in the hopes of someday making to the Olympics in 2028.
“Since the first day in the gym I have loved it and it never stopped,” again said Olivia.
Before the Cerberus Boxing Team heads to Lafayette Louisiana in August for the 2nd annual Women's Boxing National Championships they plan on holding a fundraiser at the Regal Room in Olyphant Sunday July 14th Noon to 3pm it's called "Meatballs for Boxing!”
“From the first couple of weeks that I met Olivia it's funny because people used to think that I was crazy there was something. She had a look in her eye, and I used to tell her the dedication, the will and the heart that she brought, There are certain things that you can teach. You can't teach those three things and she had them all, and you can just tell. And I told her grandmother 3 years ago I said that this kid is going to be a champion and I think that they all thought that I was crazy at first but look
at what we manifested,” again said Shawn