It’s back to the drawing board for former WBO welterweight champion Sandy Ryan! The Brit failed to overcome Mikaela Mayer’s strategy and lost the rematch via unanimous decision at the Fontainebleau Arena in Las Vegas. Mayer, on the other hand, looked more aggressive and refined compared to their last outing in New York.
This win has positioned Mayer for an undisputed bout against undefeated and unified WBA, WBC, and IBF welterweight champion Lauren Price. While the win brought new possibilities for Mayer, her 31-year-old opponent seems to have been left with a lack of plans going forward. With two back-to-back losses, a tough choice awaits Ryan.
She can either start the grind from the bottom up or persuade Mayer for a trilogy fight. To unveil her intentions, a reporter from iFL TV approached the Brit after the fight. However, a disappointed Ryan didn’t seem to have an answer ready. When asked about her thoughts on the loss, Ryan revealed how her game plan changed mid-fight.
“We thought we started well, boxing, keeping to the plan that Kay [Koroma] had me on,” Ryan said. It’s worth noting that Koroma was Mayer’s trainer and had left her camp to train Sandy. This had even stirred up some tensions between the two camps. Regardless, Ryan continued, “But then, I got drawn into it, and I fell off and just went into a fight.”
Finally, when asked about her next potential steps following her second loss to Mayer, Ryan admitted, “As of now, I’ll be honest, I don’t know. I’ll speak to my team, but as of now, I don’t know.” Meanwhile, Mayer has revealed what she did differently to get a decisive win over Ryan.
Mikaela Mayer points out what helped her defeat Sandy Ryan
Mikaela Mayer credited her improved strategy and commitment to power shots for her victory over Sandy Ryan in their rematch. Mayer emphasized how she adjusted to Ryan’s fighting style on the fly. “I sat on my shots more and committed to my hooks more,” Mayer told ESPN’s Mark Kriegel. “Those hooks were coming over the top. Sandy tends to stand too straight up. She comes forward and puts the pressure on.”
“So, we worked on chopping her down with those hooks over the top,” she said. Mayer’s aggression and ability to withstand Ryan’s late-round rally helped secure her victory. She landed more power punches (147-of-336 to 107-of-255) and dictated the exchanges. With the win, Mayer expressed her plans ahead, stating, “Now it’s time for me to move on and go for undisputed, which is against Lauren Price.”
It appears that while Sandy Ryan has a lot to figure out, Mikaela Mayer knows exactly what she wants next. But what do you think? What should Ryan do next? Is there a possibility of a trilogy?
The post “I Just Don’t Know”: Devastated Sandy Ryan Shares Disappointing Update After Losing to Mikaela Mayer appeared first on EssentiallySports.
