By: Sean Crose
“The struggle was a banger.” So wrote Boxing Insider after Mikaela Mayer gained the WBO welterweight title off Sandy Ryan. The 2024 struggle, nevertheless, got here with a big diploma of controversy. Ryan was attacked by having paint tossed on her mere hours earlier than the opening bell. The fighter was subsequently and understandably rattled, a truth which has led to the argument that Ryan wasn’t herself within the bout. Such a critique is sufficient to increase eyebrows when one realizes Ryan solely misplaced to Mayer that night time by by majority choice.
A rematch was clearly so as. And that rematch went down Saturday night time in Los Vegas. Suffice to say, there was a substantial amount of animosity between the 2 combatants beforehand. “I’m going to place her within the hospital, just like the final time.” Mayer hissed within the lead as much as the battle. The query Saturday was not solely who would win, however would the rematch be as thrilling as the primary struggle had been? The bout was set for 10 two minutes rounds and was the primary occasion of a High Rank Promotions’ card broadcast stay on ESPN.
The primary spherical was a detailed and pretty thrilling chapter that noticed Mayer land successfully. Ryan, nevertheless, landed properly within the second. Mayer dominated the third with mixtures. Ryan landed stable photographs to make certain, however she was significantly outworked by the defending champion. Mayer went on to easily management the fourth. Ryan clearly wanted to be extra lively. Mayer chopped away with stable photographs within the fifth spherical. By the midway level of the struggle, it was apparent that Mayer was on the verge of pulling away from the sport Ryan.
The sixth spherical noticed Ryan start to work the physique. Would the technique find yourself paying off? If the seventh was any indication it simply would possibly. For the challenger dug deep and landed arduous through the course of the spherical. Mayer was reduce within the gruelling eighth spherical courtesy of an unintentional head butt. Ryan thudded away at Mayer within the ninth, although it needed to be stated that Mayer acquired in good photographs of her personal.
What’s extra, Mayer rocked Ryan initially of the tenth and closing spherical. Each girls proceeded to slog it out for the remainder of the chapter. It had been a detailed struggle, however not so shut that individuals might say Ryan acquired robbed when the judges gave the win to Mayer through unanimous choice.
