Two sanctioning bodies have provided a roadblock to a Jessica McCaskill-Sandy Ryan rematch.
Rulings from the WBC and WBO have called for the pair of welterweight titlists to next enter mandatory title defenses in lieu of a second unification match. Confirmation was provided in the WBO’s ruling on a protest filed by Matchroom Boxing executive matchmaker Tom Dallas who filed an appeal with the WBA, WBC and WBO regarding the questionable split decision draw in their September 24 championship clash in Orlando, Florida.
“[T]his Committee strongly believes that the claims provided by Matchroom Boxing do not merit an immediate return fight,” WBO Championship Committee chairman Luis Batista-Salas noted in a ruling obtained by BoxingScene.com. “Even under the assumption that a rematch is warranted, which this Committee strongly rejects, the WBO lacks jurisdiction to order Sandy Ryan versus Jessica McCaskill.”
Chicago’s McCaskill was deemed a 97-93 winner on the unpopular scorecard of judge Mark Streisand. Ryan—a 30-year-old Brit from Derby who made her U.S. debut—claimed a 96-94 score on the card of judge Mike Ross. Barry Lindenman (95-95) scored the DAZN-aired unification bout dead even to produce the stalemate.
The WBO took exception to the claim that the outcome was controversial, despite the majority of viewers and media members who had Ryan handily winning the fight (Boxing Scene scored the bout 97-93 Ryan from ringside). Additionally, the sanctioning body noted the glaring conflict of interest in a report provided by the WBA, whose independent panel had Ryan winning every round upon review of the fight. The matter was headed by Luis Pabon, whose status as an active referee should have disqualified him from the process.
Nevertheless, the WBO did not deem the outcome as egregious enough to call for an immediate rematch, nor does it carry the jurisdiction since it was a voluntary title fight. McCaskill—a former undisputed champ who was stripped of her WBO and IBF titles—holds the WBC and WBA titles and the lineal championship, all of which she defended for the fourth time.
Ryan lodged the first successful defense of the WBO title she claimed earlier this year.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman noted that McCaskill (12-3-1, 5KOs) was already on the hook to face mandatory challenger Ivana Habazin when the sanctioning body approved her request to face Ryan. The condition was that the winner—or McCaskill, in the event of a draw or No-Contest—would have to next face Habazin. A modified ruling by the WBC now calls for the winner of McCaskill-Habazin to next face Ryan.
A far more definitive rejection was provided by the WBO.
“The request for an immediate rematch is hereby denied,” noted Batista-Salas. “Ms. Sandy Ryan shall fight the mandatory challenger designated by the WBO World Championship Committee per the terms and conditions set forth by the WBO.”
Hungary’s Kinga Magyar (13-4, 6KOs) is currently the number one-ranked WBO welterweight contender, though not yet identified as the mandatory challenger.
Ryan (6-1-1, 2KOs) won the vacant title in a ten-round, unanimous decision versus unbeaten Marie Pier-Houle this past April 22 in Cardiff, Wales.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox