Mikaela Mayer vs. Sandy Ryan Rivalry Deep Dive: The Paint Attack, Scorecard Drama & High-Stakes Rematch

The Explosive Backstory

The Mayer-Ryan rivalry has become one of the most heated in women's boxing history. Their first encounter in September 2024 ended in controversy, with Mayer winning a majority decision (95-95, 97-93, 96-94) that many observers disagreed with. ESPN's Mark Kriegel scored the fight 96-94 for Ryan.

The Infamous Paint Attack

• The Incident: Hours before their first fight, Ryan was struck by a can of red paint outside her New York hotel
• The Allegations: Ryan accused Mayer's team of orchestrating the attack - claims Mayer vehemently denies
• CCTV Footage: Released in December 2024 showing an unidentified assailant throwing the paint can in a hit-and-run style attack

Training Camp Drama

The feud intensified when:

• Ryan began working with Mayer's longtime coach Kay Koroma
• Mayer called this a "conflict of interest" and switched trainers
• The fighters exchanged heated words during media events, including Mayer flipping off Ryan

First Fight Analysis

Key moments from their initial bout:

• Round 1: Mayer stunned Ryan with a massive right hand
• Round 3: Intense toe-to-toe exchange
• Round 10: Mayer finished strong with effective combinations

CompuBox stats showed:

• Mayer landed 41% of power punches vs Ryan's 37%
• Ryan appeared to fight emotionally after the paint incident

The Rematch Stakes

What's different this time:

1. Mayer is defending her WBO welterweight title
2. Ryan promises a more disciplined approach without prefight distractions
3. Both fighters predicting a knockout victory

How to Watch

Date: Saturday, March 29, 2025 Time:

• Undercard: 6:10 PM ET (ESPN+)
• Main Card: 10:00 PM ET (ESPN/ESPN+) Location: Fontainebleau Las Vegas

Betting Odds

The Verbal Wars Continue

Recent exchanges include:

• Ryan's claim she "fought angry" last time due to the attack
• Mayer suggesting the paint incident could have been from "someone who despises Sandy"
• Both fighters promising to settle the score decisively in the rematch