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Determined Ward says she’s match for O’Sullivan

February 17, 2011

By Staff Reporter

Jillkerry Ward, daughter of a County Kerry immigrant and a former finalist herself, stands between Dublin transplant Ruth O’Sullivan and a third title in the world’s oldest and largest amateur boxing tournament.
It’s the first all-Irish women’s Daily News Gloves final in living memory.
A stunning 33-year-old model/actress, Ward returns to the Garden’s WaMu Theater ring for the first time since dropping a points decision to Nellie Partow in the 2007 final. That’s the year O’Sullivan, who beat Partow in 2006 for the last of her two Gloves pendants, took off to have a baby.
Ward missed last year’s tournament due to modeling and acting commitments in California. O’Sullivan, however, entered only to suffer her first loss in four years to Laura Ramirez in the final.
Both were chomping at the bit last weekend.
“I’m ready for the fight and excited to be there,” said Ward, a Manhattan resident representing Trinity Boxing Club. “It’s going to be a good bout.”
A fighter for three and a half years, she’s a big fan of O’Sullivan’s but won’t hesitate to pull the trigger against the premier Irish female boxer in the United States.
“Ruth’s quite a fighter. I’ve seen her fight many times – in fact she’s one of my favorite female fighters,” Ward noted. “But everyone’s beatable. I’ve got a powerful punch, I’m a smart fighter and I’m determined.”
Ward packs power in her right hand, which she calls her “mean punch.”
Like Ward, Sullivan, a social worker with two graduate degrees, said she’s locked and loaded.
“I feel much stronger and better than last year. I feel really ready and I’m looking forward to it,” she remarked, relishing the all-Irish match-up. “It will be good — Irish vs. Irish.”
Trainer Devon Cormack, who’s worked with the 32 year-old O’Sullivan since 2000, said he’s never seen her in better shape.
“She’s in the best form that I’ve ever seen her ever. Come Friday, if everything goes as planned, she’ll be unbeatable,” Cormack said.
O’Sullivan prepared for the final by sparring with 112 pound finalist Emily Kramer, one of her past Metro final victims, at Gleason’s Gym.

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