Six months after a fight for the ages and a pre-fight paint attack, WBO welterweight world champion Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan faced off in advance of Saturday’s rematch at Bleaulive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
The war of words evolved into a long, steely staredown Wednesday afternoon outside of the Bleaulive Theater.
In the co-feature, Brian Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) will make the inaugural defense of his WBO welterweight world championship against Puerto Rican challenger Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs).
Mayer-Ryan II and Norman-Cuevas will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
The ESPN+-streamed undercard begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and features Brooklyn featherweight phenom Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (14-0, 8 KOs), who faces Mexican slugger Jose Enrique Vivas (23-3, 12 KOs) in a 10-round WBC final eliminator.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MatchroomBoxing, tickets are available via Ticketmaster.com.
This is what Mayer and Ryan had to say:
Sandy Ryan
“You can see she loves the attention, the talk. When you don’t give her that, it triggers her. So, she’s saying, ‘Oh, she’s scared.’ I’m not scared. We just did a faceoff. This is for the media. This is what’s in the contract, and we’re here. She loves to talk and loves the media. When you don’t give her that, it makes her talk all kinds of nonsense.”
Mikaela Mayer
“She thinks she’s so tricky. We know that’s how she is. We know she’s going to say that because she doesn’t like to engage anyway, and neither does her coach. Her coach wants to hide and stay in the shadows, and he’s probably telling her, ‘Don’t engage.’ I’m just doing what I have to do. I don’t do anything but speak the facts, and I’m doing my part to sell this fight. Everyone is coming together and working hard to give her the rematch that she wanted. The least she can do is show up and help the promotion of this fight.”
Saturday, March 29
ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)
Mikaela Mayer vs. Sandy Ryan, 10 rounds, Mayer’s WBO Welterweight World Title
Brian Norman Jr. vs. Derrieck Cuevas, 12 rounds, Norman’s WBO Welterweight World Title
ESPN+ (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)
Bruce Carrington vs. Jose Enrique Vivas, 10 rounds, WBC featherweight eliminator
Emiliano Fernando Vargas vs. Giovannie Gonzalez, 8 rounds, junior welterweight
Tiger Johnson vs. Kendo Castañeda, 8 rounds, welterweight
Dedrick Crocklem vs. Dionne Ruvalcaba, 4 rounds, junior lightweight
Emmanuel Chance vs. Miguel Guzman, 4 rounds, bantamweight
