Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan reignite their rivalry in a rematch, just a few months after a paint attack marred the build-up to their first world title fight.
When is Mayer-Ryan 2 live on Sky Sports?
The hotly-anticipated rematch will take place at the Fontainebleu in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning UK and Ireland time. Watch on Sky Sports Action from midnight (Saturday night) and Sky Sports Main Event from 2am (Sunday morning).
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Sandy Ryan was targeted in a bizarre paint attack before her world title fight against Mikaela Mayer in September
What happened in the first fight?
American Mayer beat Brit Ryan via majority decision at the iconic Madison Square Garden in September 2024 to win the WBO welterweight title – after Ryan was splashed with red paint as she left her hotel mere hours before the fight in New York.
Mayer distanced herself from any knowledge of the paint-throwing incident and hopes there is no controversy in and around their second meeting.
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Highlights of the WBO welterweight title bout between Sandy Ryan and Mikaela Mayer
Aside from the paint saga, Mayer also criticised Ryan for working with her trainer ahead of the first fight, which prompted Mayer to leave the gym.
Why is this rematch so important?
The winner is likely to be on a collision course with Lauren Price, who added the IBF and WBC welterweight titles to her WBA and IBO belts when she beat fellow Brit Natasha Jonas at the Royal Albert Hall in March to take her record as a pro to 9-0.
The 2020 Olympic middleweight champion is eager to claim the WBO title and become undisputed, perhaps as soon as later this year.
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Lauren Price says she wants to defend her world titles back in Wales and has her sights firmly on the winner of the Mikaela Mayer versus Sandy Ryan rematch
Mikaela Mayer’s professional boxing stats
- Age: 34
- Height: 5ft 9in
- Total fights: 22
- Record: 20-2 (5 KOs)
- Rounds contested: 164
Mikaela Mayer career summary
The Californian’s only two defeats have come against fellow American Alycia Baumgardner and British star Jonas, in 2022 and 2024 respectively.
Mayer lost to Baumgardner via split decision at super featherweight as she shipped WBO and IBF titles, while she was beaten by Jonas at welterweight two years later.
Mayer won her opening 17 fights as a pro, becoming a world champion for the first time in her 14th bout in October 2020 when she defeated Ewa Brodnicka for the vacant WBO super featherweight belt.
She added that division’s IBF strap two fights later with victory over Maiva Hamadouche.
Sandy Ryan’s professional boxing stats
- Age: 31
- Height: 5f 9in
- Total fights: 10
- Record: 7-2-1 (3 KOs)
- Rounds contested: 77
Sandy Ryan career summary
After an amateur career that included winning Commonwealth Games gold on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018, Derby-born Ryan stepped up to the pro game in October 2021, beating Kirstie Bavington on points in a six-rounder.
She avenged a defeat to former lightweight world champion Erica Farias in her fourth fight with a unanimous decision win in her fifth and then shared a draw with Jessica McCaskill in her eighth fight.
Ryan went on to record a fourth-round stoppage victory over Terri Harper in March 2024 before her defeat to Mayer in a barnstorming contest six months later.
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Mikaela Mayer says Sandy Ryan is “100% scared to go face-to-face with me!”
What are the fighters saying?
Mayer: Ryan is easily flustered
Mikaela Mayer: “I think Sandy has a pretty weak mentality. I think she overthinks a lot.
“She stresses out a lot. I can tell that she’s easily flustered. That’s not good. At the end of the day, this sport is all mental, so you’ve got to have your head right.
“I could have taken my belt and moved on, but it was a highly entertaining fight, and if this is what the fans want, then that’s what I’ll give them.
“It will be worse for Sandy this time, but regardless, expect another action-packed fight.”
Mikaela Mayer vs Sandy Ryan 2 is live on Sky Sports this weekend
Ryan: I am in the shape of my life
Sandy Ryan: “[The paint throwing] did have an impact because I fought with emotion and anger. It clearly affected my performance and it wasn’t a great situation to be involved in.
“As crazy as this sounds, I am actually looking forward to returning to the US. This time, I will be fully prepared for whatever comes my way.
“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.
“The world will see a focused, determined, and talented fighter in the shape of her life, and I will reclaim my world title.”
Watch Mikaela Mayer vs Sandy Ryan live on Sky Sports Action from midnight on Saturday.
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