Mikaela Mayer always intended to hit the ground running at lightweight.
The 2012 U.S. Olympian and former unified 130-pound champ refused to settle for anything less than a tough challenge that would put her on a path to challenge for a second divisional title. It came after Mayer (18-1, 5KOs) abandoned her months-long pursuit of a rematch with Alycia Baumgardner, against whom she dropped a tightly contested, majority decision in their unification championship clash last October 15 in London.
Exactly six months later, Mayer returns to the ring. She was due to face former two-time WBO 140-pound titlist Christina Linardatou, who was pulled from the show when the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) refused to license her based on a past medical issue. Mayer instead faces Sweden’s Lucy Wildheart, who trained with Linardatou during this camp and was prepared to fight at home in May when she instead answered the call.
It’s not what Mayer had in mind, but she at least gets to proceed with her career. A win on Saturday still positions Mayer to challenge for the undisputed lightweight crown held by the legendary Katie Taylor (22-0, 6KOs).
“This is the fight that puts me in position to become a two-division world champion.” Mayer told BoxingScene.com of her first fight as a former—and hopeful future two-division—titlist. “People were like, ‘Oh, this is your comeback fight.’ This is not my comeback fight. That’s why I wanted to fight someone like [Linardatou]. I didn’t want an easy fight, any opponent that would make it seem like I’m trying to coast into lightweight. I’m not going to coast in my prime.
“The first option we wanted at 135 was Delfine Persoon but we couldn’t get that fight. So, we had to search at that level and accepted Linardatou.”
Despite the unavailability of Linardatou, the stakes remain the same for this weekend. The newly formed Mayer-Wildheart interim WBC lightweight title fight takes place this Saturday on ESPN+ in the U.S. and BT Sport in the U.K. from Copper Box Arena in the Hackney Wick section of London, England. The bout serves as the chief support to the Joe Joyce-Zhang Zhilei interim WBO heavyweight title fight.
Despite having to settle for a late opponent, Mayer still maintains her vision of competing at the elite level as she long ago reached a point in her career where she only wanted to face the best.
Whereas a lot of women in boxing are rushed to the title stage, Mayer went the conventional route from the day she signed with Top Rank prior to her 2017 pro debut. She was built up from newcomer to prospect, then to contender and eventually a major titleholder following her dominant ten-round victory over then-unbeaten WBO junior lightweight titlist Ewa Brodnicka in October 2020.
Three successful defenses followed, including her IBF title-lifting effort over France’s Maiva Hamadouche in their November 2021 thriller. The reign came to an end in a disputed defeat to Baumgardner (14-1, 7KOs), who has since become the undisputed junior lightweight champion.
Absent a rematch with Baumgardner, no other fight at 130 made sense for Mayer whose vision board already noted a long overdue move to lightweight befitting her near 5’10” frame.
There is a logjam of talent awaiting their shot at Taylor, the famed Irish superstar who represents the most lucrative payday for anyone in and around that weight. Still, Mayer insisted on earning her way to that fight. In her heart, she still believes that she deserved the win over Baumgardner and should still carry an undefeated record.
Therefore, Saturday is less—in fact, not at all—about a comeback than a reminder that she is still among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
“With the interim title on the line, these get you in line for the big belts,” noted Mayer, one of the savviest business-minded figures in the sport—in and of the ring. “I win this fight, I’m right back in position for the championship. At this point in my career, there’s no reason for me to not go straight to the championship in any division I’m in.
“This is my 135-pound debut. My goal is to win, make a statement and go get those belts from Katie Taylor or whoever has them by the end of this year. The way women’s boxing goes, you do not know.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox