Ward Wins by Decision over Maricelo Carnejo

Photos and Story – by Mike Blair – September 21, 2013

(SEPT 21) The middleweight women’s bout at the Silver Reef Casino in Ferndale, Washington on Saturday night was neither the main event nor the semi main, but it did create a lot of excitement in the crowd. Maricelo Carnejo, from Grandview, Washington had a large contingent of vocal fans, and she was on the cover of the Boxing Illustrated fight program. Tiffany Ward, Cornejo’s opponent out of Los Angeles seemed an afterthought, after all, this was her pro debut and Cornejo had already dispensed of her previous two opponents. Oh, and Cornejo is training with Floyd Mayweather Sr.

In the opening moments of the first round, Ward established that she was a boxer, not merely an unseasoned opponent. She fired a strong jab that sent the message that she was in the ring to fight. Cornejo answered with her right, and it snapped too, but she could not sustain enough punches to keep the aggressive Ward from closing the distance between the two.

Cornejo had a bit more success landing punches in the second round, but most of her scoring shots came when the two women were fighting in close. Ward continued to move behind her jab and she added another wrinkle, she dropped to throw right hands to Cornejo’s body.

Ward continued to be the busier fighter in the third round. She pursued Cornejo, and that meant there were times when Cornejo had to fight while stepping backwards or to the side. From that position it was difficult for Cornejo to mount a continuous effective attack.

Cornejo knew she would have to outwork and thus outscore Ward in the final round to attempt to sway the judges to award her the win. She was more aggressive, but that did not slow Ward. The pressure came from Ward as she countered when Cornejo landed punches. When Cornejo stepped back or to the side to regroup, Ward pursued and threw punches.

At the end of the four round bout, two judges scored the fight 39-37, the third scored it 40-36, all in favor of Tiffany Ward. Both women showed that they have the skill set to become good boxers in the middleweight division. They are early in their career. Cornejo, behind her two prior wins had shown that she could box; on Friday, Ward showed she too belonged in the group.