Rewind to September 27th of last year, and Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan gave us a great action fight that contested the women’s WBO welterweight title held by Ryan. Mayer won via close, even debatable majority decision – the card that had Mayer winning by a commanding score of 97-93 causing controversy. However, there was a far more controversial episode that happened before the fight that took place at Madison Square Garden in New York.
As fans may remember, Ryan, upon stepping out of her hotel to go to the fight, was attacked by a mystery assailant who threw red paint over her. Some fighters may have pulled out of the bout, as shook up as Ryan understandably was. But the fight went ahead, to Ryan’s credit, but the woman from Derby, England was just edged by Mayer of Los Angeles.
Now, as per a story from Ring Magazine’s website, the rematch is close to being done for March 29th, this time in Las Vegas. Mayer, who is a former super-featherweight champion, remains adamant that she had absolutely nothing to do with the paint attack. Ryan, who was making a third defence of her WBO belt when she ran into Mayer and her mysterious attacker, now aims to win the belt back and become a two-time champion. Both fighters believe they deserved the win after the September 2024 fight.
Now 20-2(5), Mayer is the older woman by three years at age 31. Ryan is 7-2-1(3) and she was having just her second fight in the US when she was beaten by Mayer. So, who wins the rematch? It’s a very interesting fight, and it remains to be seen if, or how much of a factor the paint attack had on Ryan’s previous ring performance and how much more composed and focused she will be this time.
Ring reports that the fight is close to taking place at the Fontainebleau in Vegas. Mayer has boxed in Vegas numerous times while this will be Ryan’s Vegas debut.
As fans know, women’s boxing is really buzzing right now, what with stars such as Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Claressa Shields, and Mayer and Ryan doing their stuff. Fans could get something special on March 29th with Mayer-Ryan II. And hopefully there will be no controversy this time, in or out of the ring.
