Tensions threatened to flare as WBO welterweight champion Sandy Ryan and former junior lightweight titleholder Mikaela Mayer both successfully made weight, setting the stage for their clash Friday night at Madison Square Garden’s Theater.
Ryan (7-1-1, 3 KOs) of Derby, England, weighed in at 146.6lbs, while Mayer (19-2, 5 KOs) who trains in Las Vegas tipped the scales at 146.8lbs. However, the intense staredown between rivals did not boil over and the bad blood remained simmering.
In the co-feature, junior middleweight Xander Zayas (19-0, 12 KOs) weighed 153.4lbs, slightly lighter than Damian Sosa (25-2, 12 KOs) at 153.6lbs. Zayas, 22, from Puerto Rico, last fought in June, defeating Patrick Teixeira in a 10-round unanimous decision at the same venue in the main event. Sosa, 27, of Tijuana, Mexico, is riding a three-fight win streak since a surprising loss in April 2023.
The ESPN opener features featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (12-0, 8 KOs) of New York City, who weighed in at a ripped 125.8lbs. His opponent, Segawa (17-4-1, 6 KOs) from Uganda, came in at 123.8lbs, coming off a significant win over Ruben Villa in July.
The card’s weights are listed below.
Junior welterweight – 10 rounds
Sandy Ryan (146.6 pounds) vs. Mikaela Mayer (146.8 pounds)
Junior middleweight - 10 rounds
Xander Zayas (153.4) vs. Damian Sosa (153.6)
Featherweight - 10 rounds
Bruce Carrington (125.8) vs. Sulaiman Segawa (123.8)
Junior middleweight - 10 rounds
Vito Mielnicki Jr. (153.8) vs. Khalil El Harraz (152.4)
Bantamweight - eight rounds
Floyd Diaz (117.8) vs. Mario Hernandez (117.2)
Junior welterweight - eight rounds
Elvis Rodriguez (142.8) vs. Kendo Castañeda (142)
Junior welterweight - eight rounds
Tiger Johnson (140.8) vs. Yomar Alamo (140.2)
Junior welterweight - 10 rounds
Rohan Polanco (143.4) vs. Marcelino Lopez (143)