Top Rank on ESPN heads to the Fontainebleau Las Vegas to host one of the most electrifying rematches of the year tonight: Mikaela Mayer vs. Sandy Ryan 2. The WBO welterweight title is on the line, and with bad blood boiling over from their first encounter, this 10-round clash promises to be a can’t-miss spectacle airing live on ESPN and ESPN+ at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Top Rank will air the first fight between Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan on YouTube so fight fans can relive the first action packed bout before watching the rematch live on ESPN.
Mikaela Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs), the reigning champion, steps into the ring looking to prove her majority decision win over Sandy Ryan last September was no fluke. That fight, a back-and-forth thriller at Madison Square Garden, saw Mayer snatch the WBO belt in a bout many called a Fight of the Year contender. But the victory wasn’t without controversy—Ryan, distracted by a bizarre pre-fight paint attack she blamed on Mayer’s camp, has been vocal about her intent to reclaim what she believes is rightfully hers. “I wasn’t myself last time,” Ryan said at Thursday’s press conference. “Tonight, I’m coming with a clear head and a mission.”
Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs), the British former champion, is no stranger to adversity. Her relentless pressure and late surge in their first meeting nearly turned the tide, and she’s vowed to bring even more heat this time. “Mikaela thinks she hurt me last fight, but I’m the one who’s going to break her,” Ryan fired back, referencing Mayer’s claim of sending her to the hospital with a concussion. At yesterday’s weigh-in, both fighters hit the scales—Mayer at 146 pounds, Ryan at 145.5—before locking eyes in a tense, icy face-off that had the crowd on edge.
For Mayer, a win moves her closer to unification bouts against the likes of Natasha Jonas or Jessica McCaskill. For Ryan, it’s about redemption, winning the title, and re-establishing herself as a top-tier threat. The experts are split: some see Mayer’s slick movement and ring IQ edging it out again, while others predict Ryan’s aggression could overwhelm the champ in the later rounds.
Mikaela Mayer vs. Sandy Ryan Full Fight Replay Video
Promoter Top Rank has stacked the card with talent to keep fans glued to their screens. The co-feature pits WBO welterweight champ Brian Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) against Derrieck Cuevas (28-1-1, 18 KOs), while rising star Bruce Carrington (12-0, 8 KOs) takes on Dana Coolwell (13-2, 9 KOs) in the featherweight division. But all eyes will be on the main event when Mayer and Ryan step through the ropes around 11:30 p.m. ET.
“This isn’t just a fight—it’s personal,” Mayer said, her voice dripping with determination. “She’s talking a big game, but I’m ready to shut her up.” Ryan countered, “The belt’s coming back with me. End of story.”
Tune in tonight to ESPN or stream it on ESPN+ to witness a welterweight war that could steal the show in 2025. Will Mayer cement her reign, or will Ryan exact her revenge? One thing’s for sure: Las Vegas is about to get loud.
