This Friday, WBO welterweight champion Sandy Ryan from England will fly to New York (USA), where she will face American challenger Mikaela Mayer in the main event at Madison Square Garden, organized by Bob Arum’s Top Rank. This will be Ryan’s third title defense since she won the belt in April of last year.
Sandy Ryan: From Finesse to Power, a Versatile Athlete
When WBO champion Ryan first performed in the United States (and so far the only time) a year ago in a prestigious world unification bout against Jessica McCaskill, she chose a tactical, defensive approach. Facing a boxer renowned for her aggression and toughness, Ryan beautifully boxed from a distance, delivering a performance of significant technical depth that was marred by an unjust split draw. However, that experience proved invaluable for the English boxer, as it made her aware that she could shine at the highest global levels and that sometimes in the ring, one must set aside grace and elegance to avoid unpleasant surprises on the scorecards. The subsequent derby in Sheffield against fellow countrywoman Terri Harper showcased a transformed Sandy Ryan, evolving from a fine fencer to a fighting machine. This versatility could serve her well in maintaining her position at the top.
Mikaela Mayer: Two Losses and Not Feeling Them
Despite her official record showing two losses, Mikaela Mayer still feels unbeaten, and many boxing experts and fans agree with her. Both of Mayer’s missteps came via split decision and generated strong controversy regarding the judges’ performances. The first time, Mayer was defeated in the UK by powerful puncher Alycia Baumgardner in a fight characterized by several evenly contested rounds: on one side, Mayer’s relentless action, and on the other, Baumgardner’s sporadic but more incisive bursts. In that instance, a draw might have been the fairest outcome. The subsequent loss to Natasha Jonas, also in the UK, caused almost unanimous outrage. After a shaky start, Mayer firmly took control of the match, dominating the second half without receiving credit for her merits. Now, Mayer is more determined than ever not to leave any doubt to the judges.
What Will Happen? Boxe Punch’s Prediction!
This fight has a rather unique aspect. Although a European boxer is facing an American boxer, the styles of the two contenders seem to reflect the boxing schools that theoretically belong to their opponents.
Mikaela Mayer, with her high guard, classic stance, somewhat rigid posture, and her incessant use of direct punches, closely resembles the great representatives of boxing from the Old World. In contrast, Sandy Ryan, with her variety of offensive solutions, creativity, and notable body work, exhibits characteristics more commonly found across the ocean.
The shorter duration of rounds in women’s boxing, set at two minutes by regulation, results in a significantly higher average number of rounds that are difficult to judge. This is why many of the top fights that have characterized women’s boxing in recent years have concluded with great uncertainty regarding the identity of the winner.
This evaluation difficulty will likely affect the early rounds of Friday’s fight, during the period of studying where the two athletes will keep their best cards hidden to avoid giving clear advantages and references to their opponent. Due to the home advantage, it is plausible that the challenger could take an early lead on the official scorecards.
However, when the fight intensifies, Sandy Ryan’s superior speed and versatility might begin to make the difference. Opposed to an opponent who is very repetitive in her actions, the English boxer should be able to read Mayer’s intentions with increasing frequency and ease as the rounds progress, taking significant advantage.
Complicating matters for Mikaela Mayer will be the fact that, unlike many previous occasions, this time the American will not be able to exploit a considerable gap in physicality and size in her favor. Similar to her in terms of anthropometric dimensions, Sandy Ryan possesses enough strength to engage in close exchanges without paying a price.
By draining energy from her opponent with her usual body work and forcing her to advance cautiously with her dangerous counters, the champion should improve in performance over the rounds, ultimately securing a clear and well-deserved victory. Therefore, I predict a unanimous decision win for Sandy Ryan.