Sandy Ryan kicked off fight week by sticking to at least a promise she made to herself. 

The former WBO welterweight titlist met Mikaela Mayer with a grin as they faced off Wednesday at Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, Nevada. The state-of-the-art resort and casino will host their anticipated ESPN main event this Saturday, six months after their memorable first clash. 

Ryan, 7-2-1 (3 KOs) dropped a majority decision during their September 27 meeting at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City. The rivalry was already a bitter one well before fight night, when an unknown assailant doused Ryan with red paint as she was making her way from the hotel to the fight venue. 

A hard conversation took place among her team as to whether the Brit should even go through with the fight that evening. That part was never in doubt, as far as Ryan was concerned. 

“As a fighter, there was no thought that went through my head that I was gonna pull out of the fight, regardless of what happened,” Ryan told BoxingScene. “It was no second thought in my mind.”

Her mental state in the ring, however, justified the conversation – even if it produced a Fight of the Year contender. 

“The one thing I can’t do again is fight on emotion,” admitted Ryan. “It will be a different fight. You’ll see the real Sandy in this fight. It will allow me to showcase what I have that you guys haven’t seen yet.”

The inability to do that last time out cost Ryan her title reign, as the 34-year-young Mayer became a two-division titlist. 

Further motivating Ryan is her return to the role of challenger. 

She hadn’t experienced that since her April 2023 title-winning effort over Marie Pier Houle. The win came in just her seventh pro fight, and 13 months removed from an upset defeat to Erica Annabella Farias. 

Ryan outpointed Farias in their August 2022 rematch to avenge her lone setback and eventually go on to win her first major title. Two successful defenses followed, though one was a highly questionable ten-round draw with then-lineal and WBC welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill in their September 2023 unification bout in Orlando, Florida. 

Most observers felt Ryan deserved the nod that night, though it was enough to change nearly her entire team. In came manager Brian Peters, along with a new corner featuring Kay Koroma and Flick Savoy who would train Ryan out of their Las Vegas facility. 

The change led to a career-best performance by Derby’s Ryan, who stopped Terri Harper after four rounds last March 23 on the road in Sheffield, England. However, the addition of Koroma was a severe sore point for Mayer, 20-2 (5 KOs). In fact, it was viewed by the 34-year-old American as an act of betrayal on her now former assistant trainer’s part.

That raw emotion set the tone for a bitter rivalry between Mayer and Ryan. The bad blood still exists, though Ryan refuses to bring it into the ring this time. The last fight provided enough teachable moments, though it also confirmed a key character trait she knew she possessed but was never before able to showcase. 

“I knew this already, but I got heart,” noted Ryan. “Nothing can stop me from doing what I want to do.” 

It was that mindset that set the wheels in motion to pursue the rematch, even if it meant fighting in Vegas where Mayer relocated two years ago. 

“I particularly didn’t care where it took place,” Ryan said of their forthcoming second act. “I was just happy that it got over the line. I said to my manager [Brian Peters], ‘Look, I don’t care where it is.’ I was just happy that the rematch is happening.”

Wednesday’s face-off suggested there still exists plenty of animosity between the two. How it shapes up the rest of fight week remains to be seen. 

As far as Ryan is concerned, it will be strictly business – on stage and in the ring. 

“I’m gonna be chilled. I don’t know what kind of antics she’s going to bring. She’s Mikaela Mayer, so of course she’s going to bring something. We’ll have to wait and see.”