Boxing Challenge

      To this day, there is controversy about who deserved the decision in the December 2022 junior lightweight unification between Alycia Baumgartner and Mikaela Mayer.

Baumgartner won a bitterly contested split decision. Despite a rematch arguably owning the status of the fight that many would love to see most in women's boxing, the rematch never happened. 

Baumgartner is now the undisputed champion at 130 pounds with Mayer moving up to welterweight where in her last fight, she lost another razor-close split decision to Natasha Jonas for the IBF title, so it's ironic that the two fighters who are rarely mentioned without thinking of the other will both fight on the same Friday night but not against each other or even fight in the same state.

Mayer will receive another chance at a welterweight title, against WBO queen Sandy Ryan in the smaller "ballroom" arena at Madison Square Garden on ESPN. At the same time, Baumgartner will fight former lightweight champion Delfine Persoon in near-obscurity in Fayetteville, Georgia with her fight on Brinx.TV,  something that I've never even heard of, let alone use!

Mayer's fight against Ryan has been surprisingly harsh in the buildup to their bout, especially compared to the chummy pre-fight press conferences between Mayer and Natasha Jonas. At the same time, Baumgartner has been asked more about her fourteen months away from the ring due to a PED suspension and drug testing in the sport than about Persoon.

Both have talked about other fights, Mayer with Katie Taylor or a Natasha Jonas rematch, Baumgartner with Claressa Shields but neither will escape the other, the question is will their second fight occur when they are at the top of their game?

There are two other fights in the challenge this week, both supporting bouts on the Ryan-Mayer card. 
Exciting featherweight contender Bruce Carrington will meet Sulaiman Segawa in a ten rounder and junior middleweight prospect Xander Zayas faces Damian Sosa.

Carrington is closer to title contention than Zayas is and appropriately faces the more difficult challenge in Segawa, who upset Ruben Villa in his last fight, and knocked Villa from his top contender status in the WBO rankings.

Boxing Challenge

Women's World Junior Lightweight Title 12 Rds 

Alycia Baumgartner vs Delfine Persoon

Ramon Malpica and TRS; Baumgartner Unanimous Decision

Vince Samano: Persoon Split Decision

Women's WBO Welterweight Title.12 Rda

Sandy Ryan vs Mikaela Mayer

R.L: Ryan Unanimous Decision
TRS: Mayer Split Decision
V.S: Mayer Unanimous Decision

Featherweights. 10 Rds

Bruce Carrington vs Sulaiman Segawa

R.L and TRS: Carrington Unanimous Decision

V.S: Segawa Unanimous Decision

Junior Middleweights. 10 Rds

Xander Zayas vs Damian Sosa

R.L: Zayas KO 10
TRS and V.S: Zayas Unanimous Decision