After two punishing defeats to Mikaela Mayer, former WBO welterweight champion Sandy Ryan found herself questioning not only her performance—but her future in boxing. Emotionally drained and physically exhausted, the 31-year-old came close to walking away from the sport she once ruled. But as the dust settled, Ryan’s resolve reignited. Now, she’s ready to rebuild, refocus, and reclaim her place at the top.
The darkest moment in a champion’s career
For Derby native Sandy Ryan, the two fights against American rival Mikaela Mayer were more than just title bouts—they were defining chapters in her boxing story. In September, she controversially lost her WBO welterweight crown in a closely contested match that left many questioning the judges’ scorecards. Six months later, she was defeated again in a more decisive rematch, leaving her emotionally depleted and seriously considering retirement. “After the fight, I thought I was done,” Ryan confessed to BBC Radio Derby. “I was finished boxing.”
Her remarks paint the picture of a fighter grappling not only with defeat but with identity. Boxing had been her life, yet for the first time, Ryan found herself disconnected in the middle of the ring. “Mid-fight I fell asleep—as in, I stopped reacting, stopped doing what I normally do,” she said. “I remember being in the corner and my brother and coach were asking, ‘what’s wrong?’ I was in my own world. I just can’t explain it.”
Carrying emotional baggage into battle
Ryan’s troubles weren’t limited to the physical demands of a rematch against one of the best in the division. Mentally, she admits she hadn’t recovered from the controversy of the first fight. In a bizarre and unsettling incident on the night of the initial bout, someone threw paint over her as she was leaving her hotel—an act she believes disrupted her focus and preparation.
Though she maintained her composure at the time, Ryan now sees that the emotional impact lingered. “I tried to not bring it with me [into the rematch], but in the back of my head it was always there,” she admitted. “I tried to be too relaxed and not have that fire. Looking back, maybe I was too calm.” Calmness in the ring can be an asset, but for Ryan, whose aggressive style has defined her career, it proved costly. “In the fight game, yeah, it’s good to be calm—but I am an aggressive fighter, and I needed that.”
With hindsight offering clarity, Ryan has decided to give it one more go—this time with a recalibrated mindset. “I still have so much to give,” she said. “I’m giving this another shot, so I need to get that fight and anger back in me, balance it out.”
A potential showdown with Cyborg?
As she looks ahead to her return, scheduled for August in the UK, Ryan is considering all options—though she’s realistic about her current position. Coming off back-to-back losses, she understands a tune-up fight is the most likely next step. “I know potentially my next fight won’t be a big fight. I am coming off a loss, so I have to build myself up.”
Still, that hasn’t stopped her from setting ambitious sights. One name that’s caught her attention? Brazilian MMA icon Cris Cyborg. Cyborg, a former UFC and PFL world champion, is 5-0 in professional boxing and has recently been calling out elite names like Claressa Shields. Ryan isn’t intimidated. In fact, she’s intrigued.
“Her profile is big,” Ryan said. “I saw she was calling out Claressa Shields, which is just crazy. It would be great—I’d be happy if they made that fight. She seems very confident, but it’s boxing. She wouldn’t beat me.” While a bout with Cyborg would undoubtedly attract attention, Ryan knows she needs to prove herself again first. “My team is looking into options,” she added, “but I know I have to earn my way back into those big fights.”
Rebuilding from within
More than just an attempt to win fights, Ryan’s comeback is about reclaiming her identity in the ring. The last two bouts taught her hard lessons—not only about tactics or preparation, but about mental strength and emotional resilience.
She no longer views her defeats as dead ends. Instead, they’ve become turning points. “There’s a difference between losing and being lost,” she said in a quiet moment during her interview. And for Ryan, that difference lies in the fire she’s determined to reignite. “I’m not ready to go out like that.”
The support from her close circle—her brother, her coach Kay, and her fans—has played a crucial role in helping her rediscover her purpose. After weeks of doubt and introspection, she found that the fighter inside her hadn’t disappeared. She had just been knocked down. Now, Ryan is not just training for a return. She’s training for redemption.
The road ahead
Sandy Ryan’s story is far from over. Whether her next opponent is a rising domestic contender or a global name like Cyborg, the 31-year-old is returning with a renewed hunger and hard-earned perspective.
Her journey is no longer just about belts and rankings. It’s about the resilience to come back stronger, the self-belief to learn from defeat, and the fire to prove—most of all to herself—that she still belongs at the top. In a sport that demands both physical excellence and emotional fortitude, Ryan is gearing up not just for another fight—but for another chapter. And this time, she’s wide awake.
