Flawless Spice: Mikaela Mayer Dominates Mary Spencer To Become A Three-Division World Champion

Flawless Spice: Mikaela Mayer Dominates Mary Spencer To Become A Three-Division World Champion

The Spice Girl fan produced an almost flawless performance to comprehensively outpoint Mary Spencer in Montreal to win a world title in a third weight division. Mikaela Mayer, the reigning WBO world welterweight champion, added Spencer’s WBA super-welterweight title, and the vacant WBC and WBO baubles to her already impressive resume, and in the process, is now one fight away from going undisputed in two separate weight divisions.

Mayer moved up to the 154 ranks in impressive fashion, defying the natural size advantage that her Canadian opponent held over her. The American overwhelmed Spencer to win wide on the cards after ten rounds in Montreal. Mayer won by scores of 98-92, 98-92, and a little too wide 100-90.

Spencer needed a good start, but she didn’t get one. Mayer came out fast and hard. In the opening four rounds, Mayer quickly asserted her dominance. Spencer had her best round in the 5th, but she couldn’t build on it. Mayer repeatedly took the fight to the bigger fighter and yet again showed the strength of her chin and the variety in her work. Spencer had moments, landing enough solid shots that, against a lesser fighter, would have brought her greater reward. But Mayer showed no signs of buckling, and it was she who threatened the stoppage in the 9th round. In the final thirty seconds, a big right stopped an exhausted Spencer in her tracks, and the Canadian did well to survive the round.

Despite the obvious size discrepancies, Mayer always looked to have far too much variety and volume for Spencer, and so it proved. Spencer was incredibly brave, but ultimately, Mayer was far too much for her. But Spencer deserves credit for her efforts, and she can come again.

Mayer (22-2) now has a plethora of options ahead of her. If she decides to stay at 154, an undisputed fight with her friend and fellow American Oshae Jones is a possibility. Jones, the IBF champion, is unbeaten and would appear to be a relatively easy fight to make.

Lauren Price is waiting in the wings at welterweight. An undisputed fight between the pair was seemingly locked in for July, but when the negotiations broke down, Mayer decided to move up to challenge Spencer at super-welterweight. If the money issues can be sorted out, that is still a distinct possibility. Price would prefer a fight in Cardiff, but Mayer, after losing two fights on British soil, would want a significant payday to tempt her to cross the pond again.

But whoever is next for Mikaela Mayer, at 35, she is a reborn fighter. Mayer has overcome a desperate period in the shadows, and she showed plenty of resilience to keep believing after losing those two fights to Alycia Baumgardner and Natasha Jonas, two fights many believed she won. Mayer already has a Hall of Fame career, but she looks fully intent on adding even more shine to her resume.

Photo Credit: Vitor Munhoz/Eye Of The Tiger