Mikaela Mayer targets Lauren Worth showdown after profitable Ryan rematch | Boxing

Mikaela Mayer retained her WBO world welterweight title in Las Vegas, beating Britain’s Sandy Ryan by unanimous resolution to settle their bitter rivalry.

The American overcame a minimize above the attention and Ryan’s rally within the later rounds, profitable with judges’ scores of 97-93, 97-93 and 98-92. After her victory, Mayer focused a title unification bout with one other Briton, Lauren Worth.

“Now it’s time for me to maneuver on and go for undisputed,” mentioned Mayer, organising a possible winner-takes-all battle in opposition to Worth. The Welsh fighter added the WBC and IBF titles to the WBA crown she already held with a factors victory over Natasha Jonas at London’s Royal Albert Corridor on 7 March.

Saturday’s WBO title bout was a rematch after Mayer took the crown from Ryan in New York in September 2024. That contest was ramped up when Derby’s Ryan was splashed with pink paint outdoors her lodge in what she referred to as a “hit and run” assault.

Earlier than the rematch, Mayer denied any involvement within the incident. “Everybody who is aware of me, is aware of that will be out of character for me – it’s not my type,” the 34-year-old instructed BBC Sport. “You’ll be able to’t simply level a finger when there isn’t any proof main again to me.”

After an excellent begin in Vegas, Mayer landed a lot of laborious photographs to take cost of the combat. Ryan fought her method again admirably, connecting with some highly effective punches as Mayer was left bloodied by a conflict of heads. By then, although, the champion was too far forward on the judges’ playing cards to be denied.

“I assumed it was shut. I assumed I used to be doing effectively into the beginning after which I acquired right into a combat,” Mayer mentioned after her second victory over Ryan. “Me and Sandy simply set the brand new bar on what aggressive fights ought to appear like.”