Sandy Ryan is adamant that Mikaela Mayer`s trash talk and attempts to provoke her will not affect her this week as they prepare for their highly anticipated rematch on Saturday.
The British boxer is also confident that there will be no repeat of the incident that occurred before their previous fight at Madison Square Garden in September 2024. During that incident, someone threw paint on Ryan as she was leaving her hotel to go to the fight venue to face Mayer. Mayer won that fight by majority decision, claiming the WBO world welterweight title.
Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs), 31, from Derby, accused a member of Mayer`s American team of being responsible for the paint attack. Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs), 34, from Colorado, has denied any involvement of her team in the incident.
Ryan has been training in Las Vegas with Kay Koroma, Mayer`s former trainer. This week, her brother Dave, a former professional boxer, will be by her side leading up to the fight at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
`It wouldn`t surprise me if she tries more tactics, but we are ready this time,` Ryan told ESPN.
`I think she likes to provoke and unsettle her opponents. She knows what I am capable of, and fair play, her pre-fight antics worked last time, but they won`t work again.`
`The paint attack happened three hours before the fight last year, and I believe it did affect me. I fought emotionally, with anger, and it impacted my performance.`
`Let them try anything they want. My manager is handling security, so everything will be taken care of, and I have my big brother Dave with me. I will have more of my people around this time.`
`I`m not going to point fingers. It`s obvious what happened. I`ll let people decide for themselves and form their own opinions on it.`
The intense rivalry between Ryan and Mayer has made their fight one of the biggest women`s boxing matches of the year. This rivalry is set to continue beyond Saturday, especially if Ryan wins and avenges her previous loss.
`This rivalry has elevated women`s boxing, putting us in a main event in Las Vegas. I might have to wear headphones on stage to avoid listening to her,` Ryan mentioned to ESPN.
`She loves trash talk, and I expect her to do it; she can`t resist.`
`If I beat Mayer this time, I will fight her for a third time here in the U.S. because there is a rematch clause.`