Mikaela Mayer is all for fighting arguably the biggest name in women’s boxing – and as soon as possible, at that.
The former unified junior welterweight titlist from California is scheduled to move up to the 135-pound division in the wake of her title losing effort to Alycia Baumgardner in a 130-pound IBF, WBC, WBO unification fight last October. Mayer will reportedly take on Christina Linardatou at a yet-to-be-determined date and venue.
Mayer’s decision was informed by the fact that she has run out of attractive options at 130. WBA titlist Hyun Mi Choi remains unavailable and Baumgardner was not immediately interested in a rematch.
But the story may change at lightweight for Mayer, especially if she can get in the ring with Katie Taylor, the division’s undisputed champion and one of women’s boxing’s most popular ambassadors.
Taylor was involved in one of the most enthralling fights of 2022, a lightweight title fight against multi-division champion Amanda Serrano. Their back-and-forth affair ended with Taylor winning narrowly on points in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“If Katie is open to making this fight happen, I think it can happen a little bit sooner,” Mayer told iD Boxing. “But I don’t know where her head’s at with that. I don’t know who she wants to fight next, and she obviously has the right to choose at this point in her career. We’ll see what she wants. It can probably happen sooner if she was on board with it.”
Taylor and Serrano are reportedly headed toward a rematch in the summer in Taylor’s homeland of Ireland, possibly at Dublin’s Croke Park.
If a fight with Serrano somehow fell through, Mayer said she would be more than willing to hop on a plane to fill in as a replacement.
“I would gladly be,” Mayer said. “I really would. I know that her and Serrano have a rematch clause and they should be fighting, but if for some reason it doesn’t happen, I’m here, I’m available, give me a call.
“I fully understand what she’s done for this sport and that she is worthy of having her next fight in her hometown at Croke Park. And maybe a lot of fighters don’t want to open themselves to that position (of fighting away) but you know me, I really don’t care. I’ll be there if I’m called upon.”
One issue, of course, is that Mayer and Taylor do not share the same promoter; Mayer is backed by Top Rank, while Taylor is promoted by rival outfit Matchroom.
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