WBO women’s welterweight champion Sandy Ryan, making her third defense against 2016 Olympian and former IBF and WBO super featherweight champion Mikaela Mayer, lost her title by a ten-round majority on Friday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in Recent York. York .
In the co-main event, NABF and WBO NABO super welterweight champion Xander Zayas defeated former WBO Latino super welterweight champion Damian “Samurai” Sosa with a good body attack, winning a ten-round unanimous decision.
Sandy Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KO) lost to 2016 Olympian and former IBF and WBO Super Champion Feather Mayer (20-2, 5 KO) by ten-round majority decision.
In the first round, Ryan used a good, solid jab while Mayer landed a hand to the chin that buckled her knees. In the second round, Ryan followed Mayer around the ring, but Mayer countered him.
In the third round, Ryan finished the round with solid rights to the chin, winning the round. Mayer landed a half-dozen unanswered punches in the fourth round at half Ryan’s distance. In the final seconds, Mayer landed solidly right on Ryan’s chin.
In the fifth round, both had their moments. Last on the right is Mayer on Ryan’s chin. Mayer’s left eye showed swelling. Midway through the sixth round, Ryan landed a solid left hook to Mayer’s chin, forcing her to hang on. Ryan finished the round the stronger of the two.
In the seventh round, they exchanged rights to the chin. In the last seconds, Ryan had the advantage. In the final minute of the eighth round, Mayer landed a straight shot to the chin, rocking Ryan. Then again, in the final seconds, another right, then a left, to Ryan’s chin.
In the ninth round, Ryan landed a solid shot to the chin. In the final seconds, Mayer snapped Ryan’s head back with a right uppercut to the chin. In the tenth and final round, both had their moments as Ryan landed solidly to the chin while Mayer countered with her own right to Ryan’s chin. Ultimately, it was everyone’s decision.
The scores were 95-95, 97-93 and 96-94.
In the main support bout, Xander Zayas (20-0, 12 KO) dominated former WBO Latino Super Welter champion Damian “Samurai” Sosa (25-3, 12 KO) in a lopsided 10-round decision.
Zayas used an effective body attack in the first two rounds, and Sosa did not fire a single body shot. In the last minute of the third round, Zayas hit Sosa with a left hook to the chin. In the final seconds, Zayas landed a solid straight chinlock.
In the final seconds of the fifth round, Sosa finally landed a right hand to the chin of Zayas after being overworked up to that point, who won all five rounds. In the eighth round, Zayas fired several body shots midway through the solar plexus. In the final seconds, Zayas landed a direct hit on Sosa’s chin.
In the ninth round, Zayas continued to beat Sosa, winning another round. In the tenth and final round, Zayas continued to dominate Sosa, who was disappointed with his performance. The scores were 100-90, 100-90 and 100-90.
NABF, WBC Silver and WBO Inter-Continental Feather champion Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (13-0, 8 KO) won a 10-round majority decision over Sulaiman Segawa (17-5-1, 6 KO). The scores were 97-93, 97-93 and 95-95.
WBA Continental Americas and WBC USA junior middleweight champion Vito “White Majic” Mielnicki Jr. (20-1, 12 KO) defeated Khalil “Arabetto” El Harraz (16-6-1, 2 KO) by a ten-round majority.
El Harraz was the aggressor in the first two rounds, and Mielnicki counterattacked well. In the third round, Mielnick started going to the body, winning the round. In the fourth round, Mielnicki’s coach Ronnie Shields encouraged him to be more aggressive and work on his body, which he did.
From the fifth to the eighth round, Mielnicki returned to the role of counterattacker, and El Harraz was again the aggressor. In the ninth round, referee Charlie Fitch warned El Harraz for an intentional headbutt. For the most part, he was the aggressor.
Both had moments in the tenth and final round, with El Harras being the aggressor.
The scores were 95-95, 100-90 and 98-92.
No. 8 ranked IBF welterweight southpaw Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez (17-1-1, 13 KO) defeated Kendo Castaneda (21-7, 9 KO) by ten-round unanimous decision.
Rodriguez outworked Castaneda in the first three rounds. In the fourth round, Rodriguez continued to break down Castaneda, mostly to the body. In the final minute of the fifth round, Rodriguez’s right hook opened a cut on Castaneda’s left eyelid.
In the eighth round, Castaneda landed a straight shot to the nose, which caused Rodriguez to come back with a good attack. In the final minute of the ninth round, a cut on Castaneda’s right eyelid reopened, causing blood to flow down the side of his face. In the tenth and final round, Rodriguez’s left eyelid closed and Castaneda finally won.
The scores are 100-90, 100-90 and 99-91.
Welterweight Olympian Delante “Tiger” Johnson (14-0, 6 KO) defeated Yomar “The Majica” Alamo (22-3-1, 13 KO) by eight-round unanimous decision.
The first round was all Alamo, with Johnson doing little to move around the ring. In the second round, Johnson began using the jab. In the final minute, Alamo hurt Johnson with a right that kept him mostly pressed at the bell.
In the fourth round, Johnson landed squarely on Alamo’s chin and caught him in the final minute. In the fifth round, Johnson pushed Alamo into the ropes and held him down with a warning from referee Charlie Fitch. At the end of the round, Alamo finished forceful.
In the seventh and eighth rounds, Johnson did enough to earn the victory.
The scores were 78-74, 78-74 and 77-75
Welterweight Olympian Rohan “El Rayo” Polanco (14-0, 9 KO) stopped Marcelino “Nino” Nicolas Lopez (37-5-1, 20 KO) in the sixth round of a scheduled ten rounds, 2:08, scoring four knockdown goals .
Polanco dominated the first two rounds with good body attack and destitute rebounding from Lopez. Polanco was warned for a low blow by referee Eddie Claudio.
Referee Claudio did not give Polanco a warning without warning for punching low in the third round. With eleven seconds remaining, Polanco parried Lopez’s miss with a right uppercut to the chin, and Lopez went down, receiving an eight count from referee Claudio.
In the fourth round, Polanco landed a combination to the chin and Lopez took a step back and took a knee less than a minute before referee Claudio counted to 8. After the round, Lopez’s corner complained to referee Claudio that he wasn’t throwing low punches.
In the sixth round, just over a minute in, a punch to the chin by Lopez caused Lopez to kneel, resulting in another 8 count from referee Claudio. With less than a minute left, a left hook to the chin by Polanco and Lopez hit another knee, causing referee Claudio to finally wave him off.
Bantamweight Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (13-0, 3 KO) defeated Mario “Mighty” Hernandez (12-5-1, 4 KO) by eight-round unanimous decision.
For four rounds, Diaz counterattacked primarily with the jab, with Hernandez supporting him. In the fifth round, Diaz landed a counter punch to Hernandez’s chin, which was counted to 8 by referee Eddie Claudio. Hernandez managed to survive the round, fighting in spurts.
In the sixth and seventh rounds, Hernandez began to be the aggressor and Diaz counterattacked. (Diaz’s coach and the girl’s co-trainer, who should have been in the audience, not in the corner) encouraged Diaz the entire time.
In the eighth and final round, Hernandez knocked out Diaz’s mouthpiece halfway through. Hernandez did enough to win the round.
WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
Deontay Wilder has not retired from boxing at the age of 39, and the former WBC heavyweight champion has not issued any official statement.
World Boxing News can confirm that reports circulating on social media are false and originated from a imitation account on Up-to-date Year’s Day. As of January 2, 2025, WBN has had no word from Wilder that he plans to hang up his gloves.
As usual, WBN also asked Shelly Finkel for comment. However, Finkel has repeatedly said in the past that Wilder is not retiring. This case seems to be no different.
The last time Wilder spoke publicly was while promoting a mental health app, the Brown Bomber was unveiling plans to return to the sport.
He said: “The push-up protocol has been disabled. Strengthen your body and train your mind; no paid subscription required! It’s not about money. It’s about a mission to strengthen mindsets and improve mental health for all. To everyone: operate your services and achieve greatness.
“There will be people who tell you, ‘No, you can’t.’ [No] People trying to stop you or putting up stop signs. [No] People who want to bring you down and keep you down. But you can’t give up.
“No matter how many times you fall, no matter how many times you get knocked down, it’s a resilient mind, a confident mind, a powerful mind that gets back up and keeps moving forward to achieve your greatness.
“Apply your service. Achieve your greatness,” he added.
Deontay Wilder could announce his retirement tomorrow if he changed his mind, but at the time of the report, there was no truth to it.
When Zhilei Zhang knocked him out on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, the formidable top-flight contender needed time to assess his situation. WBN understands that Wilder has received offers, including contact from Francis Ngannou, regarding a possible boxing match with the MMA star.
The Wilder vs. Ngannou fight only makes sense for an American his age. Many voluntary positions [of which Wilder is WBC number 13] are occupied by threatening opponents who would start each clash as favorites.
Meanwhile, the Ngannou fight is winnable with less risk and more rewards, meaning Wilder can still earn a significant payday before hanging up his gloves for good.
Rising Irish boxing star Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (14-0, 11 KO), the current World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight continental champion, had to withdraw from his scheduled December “stay busy” fight due to a minor injury but now is preparing to fight his biggest rival in what may be the most anticipated Irish boxing match in history.
The All-Ireland fight between Donovan, who fights in Limerick and trains in Dublin, and Lewis “The Croc” Crocker (20-0, 11 KO) of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is scheduled for March 1. “Point of Pride” will headline the Matchroom Boxing card, which will be broadcast live on DAZN from the SES Arena as part of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world title eliminator. Just two fights away, Donovan could win a world title if he defeats Crocker as the IBF mandatory challenger.
“There is something different about a good Irish fighter and I believe I will be next,” Donovan declared. “I think turning pro at 19 and now 25 has required a lot of life changes since I turned pro. What matters most is what I learned in the gym, because it was the ups and downs in life – being a husband and father, losing loved ones – that helped me improve. I improved as a person, which helped me become a better fighter.”
A true fighter from the past, Donovan is currently rated by three of the four major sanctioning bodies: WBA No. 5, IBF No. 6 and World Boxing Council No. 14. He has dreamed of being a world champion since he was seven years senior.
“I’m in an amazing position, so I thank God for that and my team, Andy Lee (head coach/co-manager) and (Up-to-date York lawyer) Keith Sullivan (co-manager),” Donovan noted. “It’s great to be ranked so highly at this stage of my career, but I’m where I need to be. To be ranked so high on three major sanctioning bodies is great. I know I won’t stop until I become world champion.
“I’m always at the gym thinking about the next challenge. I say it’s time. I love what I do. I am very grateful to God for being in this situation. I believe in God’s plan for me to become world champion.”
“It’s definitely going to be an explosive fight,” commented Up-to-date York attorney Keith Sullivan, who co-manages Donovan with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who is also Paddy’s head trainer. “Two tough, resilient Irishmen who have a lot to prove to the world. We were worried about the injury, but we are sure it will not be a problem during the March 1 battle. Paddy is locked down and training difficult under the watchful eye of coach Andy Lee.
Donovan has dedicated several of his recent fights to Pieta, using his boxing platform to promote the suicide prevention charity, which provides mental health services across Ireland. Paddy lost two relatives to suicide. The Pietra Crisis Helpline, at 1-800-247-247, offers crisis intervention support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or self-harm, as well as support for those grieving as a result of suicide.
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