Sandy Ryan vs. Mikaela Mayer: Fight Preview, Predictions and Betting Odds

The big fights just keep on coming as we head into the second half of 2024 and a packed professional boxing schedule. Fight fans lapped up the action from Wembley Stadium, London, last weekend when Daniel Dubois upset the odds to stun former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. Dynamite Dubois KO’d AJ following a barrage of heavy shots and never looked like losing the fight. What next for Joshua? Retirement looks like the best move, while Dubois appears to have the world at his feet.

Looking ahead to the pick of this weekend’s boxing, followers have a mouth-watering show at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York on Friday evening. The show promoted by Bob Arum for his Top Rank team features an eight-fight card, with a WBO world welterweight title sitting at the top of the bill. The main attraction pairs Sandy Ryan and Mikaela Mayer over ten two-minute rounds to find the next champion.

Will British fighter Ryan come out on top, adding another important win to her already impressive record? Perhaps you prefer the chances of America’s Mayer, who hopes to put on a performance for her supporters and steal the WBO strap before a global live TV audience. You can read the opinions of our boxing expert Frank Monkhouse and follow all the action live on ESPN.

Ryan vs. Mayer Betting Odds

Leading boxing sportsbooks like bet365 offer fight-winner betting odds and a list of interesting specials. Victory for Ryan trades at -125 with a points win +130 and the KO/TKO +700. Mayer on points is +140 with the KO/TKO +1000.

Sandy Ryan vs. Mikaela Mayer Predictions

Champ Here to Defend

English fighter Sandy Ryan arrives in New York as the defending champion, and she’s hoping to get back to Derby with the belt safely tucked in her luggage. The 31-year-old orthodox boxer brings a professional record of seven wins against one defeat and a draw with three stoppage victories. The one loss on her card came on points against Erica Anabella Farias over ten rounds back in March 2022. The result of that bout was a split decision, with one judge calling it 97-93 in Ryan’s favor and the other two scoring 94-97 and 94-95 for the winner in Nottingham.

Losing such a close contest and suffering her first career defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for Team Ryan, but she had no problems returning to winning ways, reeling off four wins and a draw in her five outings since. She drew over ten rounds with Jessica McCaskill last September before stopping rival Terri Harper inside four rounds in her last outing. That stunning stoppage win over Harper showed Ryan brings power as well as skills. She’ll need both qualities again this weekend if she’s to win in New York.

Ryan will duck between the ropes as the champion on an eye-catching winning streak and the momentum behind her work. That will be enough to earn her support in the pre-fight betting, but most in the crowd on fight night will be there hoping to cheer her opponent to victory. Sandy must remain calm and composed, taking any early chances to silence the crowd and show why she’s a respected world champion. Can she score back-to-back stoppage wins? You can have your say now at leading sportsbooks, including bet365 who offer a competitive pre-fight market with live odds available.

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Mayer Brings the Experience

Mikaela Mayer is the challenger for the title in New York, but she boasts hard-earned experience in the sport. The 34-year-old American from Colorado Springs arrives with a CV detailing 19 wins against two defeats with five stoppage victories. Each of her two losses came on the scorecards, proving she’s tough and durable. She’ll need toughness in spades on Friday if she’s to keep off an opponent determined not to lose her title. Can Mayer step up to the plate and give her army of fans something to celebrate?

Mayer suffered her first loss as a professional fighter back in October 2022 when suffering a points reverse to Alycia Baumgardner. That result was a split decision after ten competitive rounds, with one judge scoring the fight to Mayer by four rounds, but the other two went for her opponent by one round. Those cards demonstrate just how even that bout was, and there was certainly no shame in the result for the beaten fighter at the O2 Arena in London. Mayer’s second loss came against British fighter Natasha Jonas back in January of this year, again on a split decision. She got the fight 97-93 but lost it on 95-96 and 94-96 tallies.

That defeat to Jonas was the last time we saw Mayer in action, and she’ll hope to bounce back to winning ways at the first time of asking. Mayer is currently ranked as the number one fighter at the weight in the US and number two in the world but knows back-to-back losses would see her quickly slip down the pecking order and out of the title picture. It’s an all-or-nothing scenario for the American on Saturday, and fans hope the home advantage is enough to tip the balance in her favor.

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Back Team USA

Friday’s bout looks certain to be a competitive affair, and the form of both fighters suggests it’s likely to go the distance. Both Ryan and Mayer have stoppage wins on their records, but neither is a particularly big puncher with concussive power. It’s much more likely to be a tactical affair and should challenge the scoring judges sat at ringside. You can back the fight to go the distance at short odds of -600, but that’s unlikely to be too popular.

Instead, we’re picking sides and fancy Mayer to return to winning ways. She does have two defeats on her record already and knows the damage another loss would do to her career. But both losses have been by split decision, and she’ll benefit from having the home advantage and the support of the crowd. Back Mayer to win at +100 with bet365.

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How to Watch Sandy Ryan vs. Mikaela Mayer

• Location: Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

• When: Friday, September 27

• Time: 9 p.m. ET

• Streaming: ESPN+, Sky Sports