Mayer, Ryan to rematch after dramatic 2024 fight

WBO welterweight champion Mikaela Mayer has said she wants to silence the doubters ahead of a hotly anticipated rematch against Sandy Ryan, which has been confirmed for March 29 in Las Vegas.

Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) beat Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs) via majority decision in New York in September after a heated build up between the pair, in which Ryan was attacked with an open paint can while on her way to Madison Square Garden.

Ryan was leaving her New York hotel to travel to the arena when red paint was thrown at her.

Both the histrionics around the fight and the brutal 10-round duel itself led to calls for a rematch, which has duly been organised.

“We think that everyone’s going to want to see it and I wanted to shut up the people that are saying the only reason I won is because she was mentally distracted because of the paint incident,” Mayer told ESPN.

“It was a great fight and I always want to put on fights that the fans enjoy. It’s one of the reasons that I did want to give the rematch because it just makes the most sense.

“If the fans want to see it, then let’s make it happen. If it had all the makings for a rematch, then why not?

“Then also just to shut up everybody about the fact that I only won because she was mentally distraught from the paint incident, so I got to prove them wrong and just go in there and do it better.”

Despite the events that unfolded in September, Ryan said she was eager to get another fight back in the U.S. and avenge the defeat.

“As crazy as this sounds after what happened last time in New York, I am actually looking forward to returning to the U.S.,” Ryan said.

“This time, I will be fully prepared for whatever comes my way. I’m not making any excuses, but after what happened before the fight last time, I did fight in anger, and it clearly affected my performance. But it was a great fight and did great numbers for ESPN, so that’s why Mayer had to take this rematch.”

Ryan said at the time she believed Mayer’s team was behind the incident, something Mayer strenuously denies.

“I was about to walk down for the biggest fight of my life,” Mayer said. “It was just as a big a shock to me and it’s not something that I would ever do. If you know my character, if you know my team, think about Coach Al [Al Mitchell], do you think he would ever let me pull some stuff like that?

“Why would I risk the fight of my life? She could have easily pulled out of that fight, so that’s just not me at all.”

The build up to the fight was also dominated by allegations that Ryan “stole” Mayer’s coach — Kay Koroma — whom she had trained with for a decade.

The paint attack only added to the animosity between the two.

The fight also sets up an intriguing year in the women’s welterweight division.

IBF and WBC champion Natasha Jonas fights WBA title holder Lauren Price in a unification bout at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall on March 7, leaving the prospect of an undisputed fight between the winners of the two bouts later in the year.

Mayer told ESPN she is looking to go down the clear path that now leads to becoming undisputed champion.

“There’s no reason why the undisputed fight shouldn’t happen next, whether it’s in late summer or whatever they want to do,” she said.

“It’s perfect that we’re both fighting in March. Neither one of us has to sit on the shelf or wait, so we can go right into that negotiations for that fight, and I think we all want it.”