Much has been said about the dearth of high-profile boxing event in New York recently. However, the majority of high-level events that have taken place in the city have been nothing short of electrifying. From the controversial Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney bout to the back-and-forth battle between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, boxing has seemingly thrived in the nation’s biggest city. On Friday, September 27, Sandy Ryan and Mikaela Mayer plan to produce the fireworks that New York fans have come to expect.
It’s safe to say Sandy Ryan and Mikaela Mayer aren’t going to be friends after the fight, but that might just be what fans want. The two have traded verbal jabs throughout the week regarding Ryan’s decision to move to the U.S. and work with Mayer’s now former trainer, Kay Koroma. However, there’s a bit more to this fight than a dispute involving a trainer. At 34 years old, this is a make-or-break fight for Mayer, who has lost two of her last three title fights. Meanwhile, Sandy Ryan, 31, has the opportunity to set herself up for future fights in the U.S. and the U.K. if she walks away with a win.
Best of all, the fireworks won’t start with the main event. In fact, the first televised fight of the night will feature the fan favorite and hometown hero, Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington. Much like Mayer and Ryan, there’s a lot on the line for the Brooklynite as he eyes a world title shot in mid to late 2025. Alongside Carrington, Top Rank will also push one of their most prized signees, Xander Zayas, to the forefront yet again as he inches closer to a world title shot himself. Heading into tonight’s event at Madison Square Garden, here are the three most pressing questions we have.
Is This The End Of The Line For Mikaela Mayer?
Three years ago, Mikaela Mayer was riding high off the thrill of beating Maiva Hamadouche in a rough-and-tumble defense of her two featherweight titles. The California native looked poised to become the face of women’s boxing at Top Rank and ESPN. While that still may be in her future, things have changed quite a bit. Not only has Top Rank added the talented Seniesa Estrada to its roster, but Mayer has also endured two losses in hotly contested bouts. Sure, Mayer can make a case that she won both bouts and there’s a crowd of fans and boxing lifers that will agree. However, a loss against Sandy Ryan would be a huge setback and potential nail in the coffin if she hopes to secure big time fights against others in and around the weight class like Chantelle Cameron, Terri Harper, Katie Taylor and Lauren Price. At 34 years old, this is arguably the most important fight of her career. Will she make the most of it or will she come up short on the scorecards yet again?
When Is The Right Moment For Xander Zayas To Enter The Championship Mix?
A lot chan happen in three years. At this point in 2021, Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño were preparing for the final chapter of their two-chapter battle for super welterweight supremacy. Now, neither Charlo nor Castaño are even in the championship picture. Pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford has moved up and captured a belt while unified Sebastian Fundora seems to be on a collision course with Errol Spence Jr. Meanwhile, Tim Tszyu is set for a world title bout with IBF Super Welterweight Champion Bakhram Murtazaliev next month. Not to mention, Israil Madrimov, Vergil Ortiz Jr., Jesus Ramos, Serhii Bohachuk and Erickson Lubin are all circling, waiting for their title shot. With all of that going, where does super welterweight hopeful Xander Zayas go from here? At 22 years old, Zayas doesn’t have to rush himself into title contention, but it may be difficult to hold him back for the world’s best for much longer. With a win against former world title challenger Patrick Teixeira and an upcoming bout with ProBox TV standout Damian Sosa, the Puerto Rican fighter is seemingly in a no man’s land between prospect and title contender. Zayas is expected to pick up a decision win against Sosa on Friday night and if he does, where does he go next?
Is Bruce Carrington Ready For The Next Step?
Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington is the heir to the thrown at Madison Square Garden. From paying homage to Mike Tyson during a post-fight interview to his clever “Shu York City” slogan, the Brooklyn native has done everything outside of the ring to position himself as a star in the lower weight classes. Inside of the ring, he’s been even more impressive, winning five of his last six fights by knockout. Heading into Friday’s bout with Sulaiman Segawa, a lot is on the line for the fighter from Brownsville. A win puts him in position for a world title shot against either Robeisy Ramirez or Rafael Espinoza late next year. A loss would set him back tremendously as he nears his 28th birthday. With everything on the line, the only people that can determine the direction in which his career goes next are Sulaiman Segawa and Bruce Carrington. The first bell can’t ring soon enough.
