Does Mayer Have the Strength and Power Overcome Sandy Ryan?
Mikaela Mayer (19-2, 5 KOs) aspires to be a two-division world champion in the upcoming fight with reigning WBO welterweight champion Sandy Ryan (7-1-1, 3 KOs). Mayer enters this contest with a big chip on her shoulder and plans to leave the ring as the new champion.
Previously an unified world champion at 130lbs, it’s natural to question whether Mayer can deal with Ryan’s physical strength. However, during an interview with the UK media outlet FightPost, Mayer said that would not be an issue and intends to show her physical superiority on fight night.
“Sandy Ryan won’t be pushing me from side to side. We all know that I am the bully here.”
TESTING ONE’S STRENGTH
Mayer debuted at welterweight in January 2024 when she lost a close and highly competitive split-decision battle with IBF welterweight champion Natasha Jonas. Mayer forced Jonas to fight on the back foot for most of that contest and wants to do the same against Ryan.
That may be hard to do against the WBO champion. Ryan has spent much of her career as a welterweight. She fights with a physicality and a ferocity that often intimidates and overwhelms her opponents. She did that in her most recent outing, a fourth-round stoppage over two-division champion Terri Harper in March 2024. When Ryan fights, she typically does the bullying.
BAD BLOOD
It’s known in boxing circles that Mayer and Ryan are far from friends. Mayer plans to vent out her venom and punish Ryan on September 27.
“Sandy is a good fighter. She has got a lot of amateur pedigree. But I do think her head is a little big right now because she had that good performance against Terri Harper. But that was Terri Harper, and I am not Terri Harper. […] I want to get this right. I want to hurt Sandy. I really do, I want to hurt her.”
Talk is one thing. You can exhibit all the confidence in the world leading up to a fight. The proof in the pudding is what you do once the bell rings. If Mayer can back up her big words with an emphatic win over Ryan, it will rank as arguably the best performance of her career.
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