Former Irish amateur star Joe Ward avenged his only pro loss with a comprehensive points win over awkward Californian Marco Delgado at the Albergue Olimpico in Salinas, Puerto Rico, on Thursday night. All three scores were 60-54.
The highly-touted light-heavyweight, a three-time World championship medallist amongst numerous other accolades in the amateur ranks, unfortunately lost his pro debut to Delgado back in October 2019 after suffering a dislocated kneecap in the second round.
Southpaw Ward (3-1, 2 KOs) healed and regrouped with two opening round wins in Mexico last year before setting the record straight against Delgado. The prospect from Moate, County Westmeath, banished those demons with a composed display against an ungainly opponent who resorted to frequent holding and wild charges.
The Irishman’s stiff left hand earned Delgado’s respect early and sent the American into a pattern of spoiling and more roughhouse tactics. The bout was marred by holding from the third as the Californian sought to tie Ward up on the inside and test his patience. Delgado (7-2, 5 KOs) pegged Ward with a hard right hand in the fourth, but otherwise it was plain sailing for the Lou Dibella promoted Irishman. The skilful Ward’s sharper work and nimbler feet saw him home to the final bell.
In the main event at 135lbs, late substitute Angel Fierro (18-1-1, 14 KOs) rose from two knockdowns to score a stunning sixth round KO of former WBA super-featherweight champion Alberto Machado (22-3, 18 KOs).
Puerto Rican Machado dropped Fierro in each of the opening two sessions with right hands, with the Mexican also surviving a torrid third round. The tide slowly turned in the fourth and fifth before Fierro registered a stirring knockout win with a huge left hook in the sixth.
“I’m happy, I faced a top-notch fighter tonight in Alberto Machado,” said 3-1 underdog Fierro. “He is world class and dropped me twice. But I am ecstatic that I was able to come back and beat a fighter of his calibre.
“When I got back to my corner, I told them, ‘remind me of my daughter’, Because with this fight I can change her life and that’s exactly what they did after the third round. I didn’t come here to be a tourist in Puerto Rico. I came here to win.”
Photo: Tom Hogan/Hogan Photos/Ring City USA.