All Doubt Removed: Mikaela Mayer Beats Sandy Ryan Again

All Doubt Removed: Mikaela Mayer Beats Sandy Ryan Again

“I wanted to kick her ass, and I did.” Mikaela Mayer

Mikaela Mayer removed all doubt on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Sandy Ryan said she fought with anger and emotion in September, but in many ways, that was missing in the highly anticipated rematch.

Mayer threw more and landed more as the American retained her WBO world welterweight title by a unanimous points decision. The judges gave it to Mayer with scores of 97-93, 97-93, and 98-92. This observer had Mayer winning seven of the ten thoroughly engrossing rounds. It wasn’t quite a masterclass, but it wasn’t far off.

The second fight didn’t quite reach the heights of their titanic first meeting, but it was another great advert for women’s boxing. Mayer just had a little bit more of everything, as Ryan struggled to find any real rhythm. Ryan was good. Mayer was just better.

Ryan started the fight, trying to box and move, but Mayer started to make it her type of fight from the third round onwards. I gave Mayer the opening round and Ryan the next, but Mayer took control after that even enough start. For the vast majority of the twenty minutes, Mayer was the better fighter wherever the fight went. The body attack from Mayer was impressive. Possibly the definitive tactic of the fight.

Mayer started to dominate as Ryan was outworked and outpunched. The Derby fighter struggled to gain any real momentum until an accidental clash of heads in the eighth round, that left Mayer with a terrible looking cut over her left eye, suddenly gave the former champion hope. Ryan had her best rounds of the fight in the 8th and the 9th rounds. Round nine was probably the best round of the twenty that Mayer and Ryan have shared together. Two minutes of relentless back-and-forth action.

But any lingering doubt about the result was extinguished in the final round. Mayer closed out the fight in some style, ripping in shots to head and body, as Ryan failed to find what she so desperately needed to salvage her night. Ryan raised her arms more in hope than any real expectation. Mayer had conviction about her post-fight celebrations.

The first fight was close enough for at least some debate. But the rematch was anything but. Mayer said she would remove all doubt, and she did.

Ryan (7-3-1) fell short for the second time, but she can take great pride in her contribution to two great fights and that bitter, sometimes toxic rivalry the two fighters undoubtedly have. At 30, Ryan will come again, but she might need some degree of patience while the opportunities open up for her again. She will also hope that her current promoter keeps the faith.

Mayer (21-2) struggled in the boxing wilderness for two years after suffering that gut-wrenching defeat to Alycia Baumgardner in 2022. But those two wins over Ryan have given her career new life, and she can now look forward to an undisputed clash with Lauren Price later in the year. A story of perseverance and at 34, Mayer looks in the form of her fighting life. That story might have a few more chapters yet to write.

Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank