Boxing News: As she gets ready to take part in a historic night for her sport, Mikaela Mayer thinks the hurdles she encountered as a female boxer are well on their way to being removed.
This Saturday, on the undercard of the highly anticipated matchup between Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields, the 32-year-old American fights WBC champion Alycia Baumgardner for the unification of her WBO and IBF super-featherweight crowns.
While there is still more to be done, Mayer is certain that her fight with her compatriot, which is part of an all-female show at the O2 Arena is an indication of the expanded chances for women in boxing.
“It was so hard for me to try to convince young girls to go into this sport for a long time because it was so hard,” Mayer told Sky Sports. “I couldn’t confidently say ‘if you put the work in, it’ll pay off.
“There are so many women in this sport still who have really hustled and tried and worked, and they’re still not reaping the benefits.
“There are a few of us who have and are able to make a career out of it, but it’s still really hard and we’re still trying to break down those barriers.
“But it’s changing so fast, and it makes me really excited because I want to encourage people to chase their dreams now. If they’re passionate about this sport, I feel like I can encourage them to really go for it.”
Since entering the professional ranks in 2017, Mikaela Mayer has gone 17-0 (5) unblemished. Mayer is particularly pleased with the advancements the sport has made on this side of the Atlantic in recent years. He will face Baumgardner in the matchup.
She is also very happy to be a part of a card where aspiring female fighters will have the chance to compete among some of the most well-known figures in the sport.
“It’s just going to take time, but hats off to the UK – they’re really embracing it,” Mayer said. “I love coming over here, I always feel really welcome and it’s different.
“I knew from the second I heard about this card, that it was going to be iconic and it absolutely had to happen.
“I was on board with it right away and I saw how amazing it was going to be, and I also love that we’re creating a platform for the next generation of talent on the undercard to have this type of stage to showcase their skills on.
“Especially as a woman, you don’t have the luxury of going into one big fight and collecting a big pay cheque, we’ve really had to hustle in all aspects of our life building our brand and who we are.”
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