SANDY RYAN is hoping she won’t see red in Las Vegas this weekend as she aims to become a two-time world boxing champion.

The 31-year-old from Derby rematches American rival Mikaela Mayer for the version of the world welterweight title she took from Ryan with a points decision back in September.

If the closeness of the first fight, a majority in favour of the Colorado Springs native, wasn’t motivation enough to run it straight back then, what happened earlier in the evening absolutely is.

STREET ATTACK

As Ryan was leaving her hotel in New York City to travel to The Theatre at Madison Square Garden, an individual leapt from a vehicle and threw red paint all over the then champion.

Traumatised, Ryan cleaned herself up and headed to the arena, and the fight commenced as planned.

But the manner of her performance reflected someone who wasn’t perhaps fully focused on the occasion.

Mayer started much brighter and was ahead after the first five rounds. Eventually, Ryan warmed to the task and narrowed the distance in the second half of the fight.

NOTHING IN IT

After 10 rounds, the three scoring judges delivered verdicts of 93-97, 94-96 and 95-95, reflecting the closeness of the fight. I personally thought Ryan had done enough.

Statistically, their 10 x 2-minute rounds were separated by just a single punch.

According to the punch stats, Mayer landed 186 punches to Ryan’s 185 and whilst the American edged Ryan in power punches landed (132/128), Ryan landed three more jabs (57/54).

However, naturally the biggest fallout was regarding the paint-attack pre-fight.

Team Ryan alluded to the fact all week in New York she’d spotted defamatory flyers littered around the team hotel.

And they insist members of her team had received threatening phone calls advising them to leave the city for “their own safety.”

There’s also a narrative there.

Mayer, 34, had been training with coach Kay Koroma for most of her pro career, but late in 2023, Ryan joined the stable. Feeling there was a conflict of interest, Mayer decided to leave.

ADVERSITY CHAMPIONS

Back inside the ropes, Ryan’s 7-2-1 record includes an avenged loss from her fourth fight against a multiple-time world champion and a split draw robbery defeat in Orlando in 2023.

Mayer too has had some difficult decisions go against her. The champion’s 20-2 record includes two split decision world title losses, both in the UK, from 2022 and 2024.

Their first fight could have taken place in a phone bbox,and nothing that’s been said or done since alludes to anything other than more of the same.

Both like to be on the front foot; both are happy to trade and like to open up on the inside. Neither one has genuine KO power, so we are likely to go the distance once again.

And that’s the problem when women of this calibre – both are former World Amateur Championships medal winners – are matched together.

Two-minute rounds are simply not enough to decipher a clear winner.

If Ryan can start sharper and bag her share of those opening sessions, she’ll be far better positioned when the judges count up their scores.

She is much tidier with her defence and offense when fatigue starts to bite than Mayer, who has a habit of dropping her hands and swinging with more optimism than precision later on.

Revenge will be sweet, and will most likely lead straight into fight #3!

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