Mikaela Mayer will field Sandy Ryan in a rematch for the WBO welterweight world championship on March 29 (early hours March 30, UK time) in Las Vegas.
Mayer received their first contest, a hard-fought majority choice victory, after they clashed in New York final yr.
However it was overshadowed by an sudden assault on Ryan that noticed the Briton doused with purple paint when leaving her lodge to journey to the Madison Sq. Theater for the bout.
Mayer desires to settle any doubts that incident raised and informed Sky Sports activities: “I also didn’t like the controversy over the fight regarding the paint situation.
“I need to remove the questions. I do not need folks to assume that I solely received as a result of she was tousled within the head. So let’s give her one other probability and simply do it even higher.”
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Highlights of the WBO welterweight title bout between Sandy Ryan and Mikaela Mayer.
Mayer defined: “There’s this narrative going round that she was tousled mentally due to it and did not do her finest efficiency. I do not essentially assume that is true.
“It wasn’t the fitting factor to occur and I really feel for her in that sense. However on the finish of the day she made it much more dramatic than she needed to.
“I know from my experience, once you get into that ring it doesn’t matter what happened, you’re zoned in and you’re focused.
“It was a aggressive struggle and he or she got here and he or she fought arduous. So, to me, she was superb. But when folks need to query it then we’ll simply do it once more.”
The champion herself will be taking extra security precautions around this rematch, for fear of there being any revenge paint attacks.
“I do not need one thing like that to occur,” Mayer insisted. “Please do not sabotage this struggle.
“I want to clear up the rumours. I want to clear up the questions about her mental state going into the fight.”
That incident, the primary struggle itself and the confrontation across the bout served to gas a rivalry that had already grown heated when Ryan began working with Mayer’s earlier coaching crew.
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Mikaela Mayer reacts to her WBO welterweight title victory over Sandy Ryan who believes the pre-fight paint incident unsettled her.
The transfer prompted Mayer to alter her teaching arrange however the American did not draw back from agreeing to a second struggle. She has bitterly contested her losses to Alycia Baumgardner and Natasha Jonas and remains to be ready to get both of these rematches.
“So I understand,” Mayer stated. “You could say I’m doing her favour. You could say I’m doing the right thing. At the end of the day, it’s the best option for me.
“I’ve by no means actually backed away from a problem. I’ve by no means been afraid of going abroad, or occurring an undercard, or doing what I’ve to do to make fights that excite me and encourage me.
“At this stage of my career I want to be inspired, to fight girls that motivate me to train hard, and that people are excited to see.”
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Sandy Ryan believes Mikaela Mayer’s crew was behind the paint throwing-incident as she left her lodge to come back to her WBO welterweight title defence – however Mayer disputed that accusation.
Ryan: I did struggle in anger
“As crazy as this sounds after what happened last time in New York, I am actually looking forward to returning to the US,” Ryan stated.
“I’ve had some remarkable, history-making fights here already, so the opportunity to come back and showcase my talent while headlining in the fight capital of the world is amazing.
“This time, I will probably be absolutely ready for no matter comes my approach. I am not making any excuses, however after what occurred earlier than the struggle final time, I did struggle in anger, and it clearly affected my efficiency.
“It’s the biggest fight for both of us, and everyone wants to see it again,” she added. “The world will see a focused, determined, and talented fighter in the shape of her life, and I will reclaim my world title.”
Mayer’s undisputed purpose
Whereas Mayer and Ryan struggle for one of many main welterweight world titles on March 29, Natasha Jonas and Lauren Worth field for the opposite three on March 7 on the Royal Albert Corridor, stay on Sky Sports activities.
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Natasha Jonas and Lauren Worth shared a frosty face-off on the press convention for his or her world title unification at Royal Albert Corridor on Friday seventh March.
Mayer absolutely expects the winner of her struggle to field the Jonas-Worth victor later in 2025 for the undisputed crown.
“That’s the trajectory we’re definitely on,” she stated. “They’re going to unify the belts. I’ll have the final belt to go undisputed and we’ll have to make that fight. I mean we’ll have to make that fight.
“Sadly I am going to have one belt and Worth or Jonas could have three, so I might need to return to the UK to settle undisputed.
“At that point I have nothing to lose. The opportunity is there, the money will be there, the eyes will be there.
“There isn’t any purpose why that struggle should not get executed by the tip of the yr.”
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