Mikaela Mayer, Sandy Ryan and Lauren Price. All three want one thing – to be the undisputed welterweight champion of the world.
They are the three fighters left in the welterweight division vying for undisputed supremacy.
Wales’ Price unified the WBC and IBF titles with the WBA 147lb world championship when she beat Natasha Jonas at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this month.
Mayer, now the WBO titlist, will rematch Derby’s Ryan, the former holder of that belt, in Las Vegas, live on Sky Sports Action from midnight on Sunday morning.
Highlights of the first WBO welterweight title bout between Sandy Ryan and Mikaela Mayer
Price threw down the gauntlet to Mayer and Ryan after her tremendous victory over Jonas. She wants the winner of their fight next.
“I’ve got respect for both of them as well. I respect everyone who I get in the ring with. I’m in this game because I want to be in the biggest fights. I want to be active. I’m in my prime, I’m motivated, I’m driven and I want to just keep going,” she declared.
Neither Mayer nor Ryan will back down from that challenge.
Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan share an ice cold face-off ahead of their WBO welterweight title rematch live on Sky Sports
The American wouldn’t hesitate to fight Price. “No, absolutely not and I’ve said that very openly. I get through Sandy one more time and I would want to finish my goal of becoming undisputed,” Mayer told Sky Sports.
“That dream is still alive and I’m back in position now and have that opportunity. I wouldn’t run from a Price fight at all. Would I want to do it in Wales? No.”
But she added: “We can negotiate.”
Mayer was not overawed by Price’s showing against Jonas.
“It’s a tricky style to beat but I think that Jonas just didn’t have the right gameplan. I don’t know if it’s because she’s on her way out and she just doesn’t have that fight in her any more or if she just didn’t have a proper gameplan. Because she stood on the outside too long, just waited too long. You’ve got to press,” the American said.
Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan exchange words ahead of their rematch
“I definitely would have had a different gameplan. I don’t think Jonas had the right one. Ultimately, if you know your gameplan is not working you step on the gas. Plan C is you fight and we never saw that from her.
“We’ll be ready for it. Right now we’ve got a completely different style to face.”
Ryan knows Price well. They were team-mates on the GB amateur squad and have boxed each other as well as sparring together at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
“We fought each other in a tournament in Bulgaria. We’ve had some good memories good sparring, it will be a really good fight. Both boxed for Great Britain. There’s a lot in that fight as well,” Ryan told Sky Sports.
“I thought that Lauren would win [against Jonas] and it’s a great potential fight there for me in the future. I’m looking forward to the future. I just need to get my belt back and be a world champion again and then them big fights are there.”
Katie Taylor discusses rematches and Sandy Ryan’s chances of victory this time around against Mikaela Mayer
Going undisputed is the Derby fighter’s dream. But if she is victorious this weekend, she expects to have a third fight with Mayer before boxing Price.
“[Undisputed has] always been a goal. But for me right now, this is my goal and I’ll take one goal at a time,” Ryan said.
“The Lauren Price fight, I don’t believe it will happen just yet because you’re going to see me and Mikaela fight two more times because I get the win this time and there’ll be a rematch for sure.”
The first fight between Mayer and Ryan was closely contested, with Mayer winning by majority decision.
The new world champion is expecting something different from Ryan in the second fight, but is convinced it won’t be enough.
Find out exactly why Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan do not like each other after a controversial paint attack and a switch of trainers
“I’m expecting her to make the adjustments that she needs,” Mayer said. “She lost the first half of that fight pretty clearly so I expect her to make the adjustments and come harder.
“But at the end of the day, Sandy’s style is Sandy’s style. I don’t see her switching up too much I just see her stepping on the gas a little sooner.
“I thought I clearly won,” Mayer continued. “I felt like I won the first half of the fight. There were some middle rounds where I got caught up but then towards the end catching her with the uppercuts and the big shots, I thought I solidified the win and my team did too.”
She added: “I don’t want it to seem close this time. But I guess I plan on surprising her with the strength and the way that I’ve grown into this welterweight body 1743231976. You don’t just jump three weight classes overnight. I kind of did that and I feel like a solid welterweight now.”
The notorious paint attack, just before the first fight, affected Ryan. Her mind, she promises, will be clear second time around.
Sandy Ryan and Mikaela Mayer exchanged insults following a face-off ahead of their rematch in Las Vegas
“The difference in the fight is I’m going to win. That’s the difference that’s going to be,” she said. “How I come out, I’ll just listen to my trainer and work on what we’ve been working on in the gym and being me in there. Being calm.
“When I’m relaxed, you’ll see the best Sandy.”
Whatever happens, Mayer expects another thriller. She said: “She’s coming forward. I tend to come forward. I think I had a good gameplan when I was boxing and moving. But I like digging to the body too. I think you’re going to see a little bit of both of that from me.
“You can’t expect anything less than action packed fight.”
Watch the Mikaela Mayer vs Sandy Ryan rematch live on Sky Sports Action from midnight on Sunday morning.
