Andres Ferrari, ESPN Editor Sep 1, 2023, 07: 49 AM ET
- Andres Ferrari is ESPN.com’s boxing and MMA editor.
Mikaela Mayer is increasing in weight class to check the waters for a possible relocate to the welterweight department. Mayer, a previous junior light-weight champ is dealing with obscure Silvia Bortot in a 10- round junior welterweight bout (142- pound catchweight) in the co-main occasion of the Liam Smith-Chris Eubank Jr. rematch at AO Arena in Manchester, England on Saturday ( ESPN+, 2 p.m. ET).
Mayer (18 -1, 5 KOs), of Colorado Springs, won the WBO junior light-weight title in a consentaneous choice success over Ewa Brodnicka in October2020 She merged the IBF belt by beating Maiva Hamadouche likewise by consentaneous choice a year later on. After an effective defense versus Jennifer Han, Mayer lost a split choice to Alycia Baumgardne r last October. Mayer went up to light-weight and beat Lucy Wildheart last April.
” My perform at 130 was a lots of enjoyable and something I’m happy of, however it’s time for a brand-new chapter,” Mayer stated when Saturday’s battle was formally revealed. “It’s time to integrate my experience with my size and see what I can achieve. This battle is at 142 pounds, however 147 is the next hot department in females’s boxing, which’s where I’m headed.”
At welterweight, the 4 significant titles are divided in between Jessica McCaskill, Natasha Jonas, and Sandy Ryan. Mayer informed Boxing Social a battle versus Jonas makes good sense for her.
” I believe [Jonas] is the most reasonable battle at this time …,” Mayer stated. “I believe me and Natasha Jonas produce a fantastic battle. I believe she’s a video game champ and she desires huge battles too at this phase in her profession, so I’m hoping we get that done.”
Bortot (11 -2 -2, 3 KOs), of Italy, is 3-2 with 1 KO in her last 5 battles, however her triumphes came versus 3 fighters with a combined record of 19 wins and 110 loses. In May, she lost to Flora Pili by split choice.
” I suffered a bad automobile mishap right before the match in May 2023 and I was [fortunately [practically unhurt,” Bortot informed ESPN by means of email. “After the battle in May I was close to retiring from matches to concentrate on boxing training and to get a CrossFit Level 1– another enthusiasm of mine.”
Bortot, 38, stated she wasn’t able to prepare effectively for the battle with Mayer and the brief notification.
” I learnt more about the match less than a month earlier, so I prepared myself in this brief duration,” Bortot stated. “Luckily, I was currently training to do other competitors– unrelated to boxing– so physically I was great. Recently I’ve focused on boxing, however I have not left CrossFit, running and yoga exercises. I likewise did mountain cycling and swimming [ahead of the battle]”
Bortot has actually constantly been associated with fight sports, taking part in kickboxing and boxing in Italy, Spain, Brazil and Thailand.
Before Bortot satisfies Mayer on Saturday, her very first battle ever to be telecasted reside in the U.S., here’s what you require to understand about the opposition:
– Fighting and art: “I have a master’s degree from Universita IUAV, the University of Architecture, style and visual art. I enjoy style and I likewise work as self-employed graphic designer. I like combating however I likewise like art, the charm in all its types so I typically go to Venice to fill myself with history and marvel.”
– Tattoos: “I like samurai and Japanese culture a lot that I have the majority of my back and arms covered in Japanese-style tattoos. In my tattoos, there is my entire life. They are special works made particularly for me and there are a lot of stories there to discuss them completely.”
– Sports assisted her throughout life: “My youth, experiencing eating conditions, was challenging however my commitment to sports provided me the best strength to move on and mature. Now, as a boxing trainer, I attempt to offer a chance of much better life to other individuals through the mentor of boxing. I concentrate on 1:1 and group boxing training.”
– Not simply fight sports: “In the summertime, I ride my KTM 625 [bike] and invest my time at the beach. In my extra time I go surfskating, however I dream about browsing in the ocean in Fuerteventura, [Canary Islands, Spain] my 2nd house.”
– Diet is whatever: “I’m getting closer to being vegan and I feel fortunate due to the fact that the food in Italy is great despite the diet plan you follow.”
– Tupac Shakur: “I’m in love with Tupac [the late American rap artist] I began listening [to] his tunes when I was a kid and I still do it.
– A preferred animal … sort of: “I deal with a two-meter-tall packed panda called Carlotta and she resides on my couch since there aren’t adequate area in my bed for both people. I likewise have Evaristo, a smaller sized teddy bear.”
