Mayer tops Ryan by majority decision in slugfest to win 147 title
Zayas shuts out Sosa; Carrington escapes with majority decision
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In a non-stop action thriller, Mikaela Mayer outpunched and outhustled the harder-hitting Sandy Ryan to win a majority decision and the WBO women’s welterweight title in the main event of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Friday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Mayer, a former unified junior lightweight titleholder, won 97-93 and 96-94 while one judge scored it 95-95. Fight Freaks Unite scored it 96-94 for Mayer, who won a title in a second weight class 17 pounds heavier than where she unified belts at 130 pounds.
When Mayer traveled to Natasha Jonas’ hometown of Liverpool, England, to challenge her for the IBF belt in January, she lost a disputed split decision in a similar all-action battle. When talks for an immediate rematch fell apart, Top Rank made a deal with Matchroom Boxing to bring England’s Ryan to the United States to make her third title defense.
This time it was Mayer who came out on top in a close fight fought at a blistering pace that was engulfed by personal drama between the women going into the bout.
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