Saturday morning, 7:05 a.m. I wasn’t even fully awake from my night’s sleep when I heard my phone ringing, vibrating, and notifications piling up on the lock screen. Camille Estephan took us all by surprise.
The great American champion Mikaela Mayer will face Mary Spencer on October 30th at the Casino de Montréal. It reminds me of when Michael Johnson faced Donovan Bailey in Toronto. Everything is in place for a historic fight: 147 vs 154, Canada vs USA, EOTTM vs Top Rank.
I had to dedicate the first paragraph to another legend of women’s boxing: Marie-Ève Albert, from the 120 secondespodcast.
Over to Marie-Ève Albert
I thought I’d have a quiet fall at home in Rimouski, but EOTTM is forcing me to leave my inner hermit behind, because I simply cannot miss the fight between Mary Spencer and Mikaela Mayer. It’s impossible.
Mikaela Mayer, a decorated amateur and multi-time pro champion, will travel to Montreal to challenge our own Mary Spencer on her home turf, at 154 pounds. Spencer is taking a risk here that fans of the sweet science will appreciate.
Mayer has wins over Sandy Ryan (twice), epic fights against Maïva Hamadouche (Fight of the Year), Natasha Jonas (very close), and Alycia Baumgardner (very, very close), and a personality that knows how to land a punch where it hurts — at just the right moment. Yes, Mayer is talented and fearless, but she’s also funny and sharp outside the ring. She’ll definitely draw attention in Montreal this fall.
Photo: Mikey Williams – Mikaela Mayer
Who is Mikaela Mayer?
A boxer from Los Angeles, she has competed in several weight classes, from 130 up to 154 pounds for the Montreal event. She won a bronze medal at the 2012 Amateur World Championships, then represented the U.S. at the Rio Olympics in 2016. She signed with Top Rank in 2017 and continues to train with her mentor Al Mitchell, though she’s spent many of her camps with Kay Koroma and Shakur Stevenson. Today, she trains full-time with Mitchell and Kofi Jantuah.
As a professional, she’s a three-time world champion (in three different weight classes) and now she’s going for a fourth.
Before becoming a boxer, she was the bassist in a heavy metal band, performing at many music festivals. She was also the first to really speak out in favor of better pay and conditions for female boxers.
Photo: IG – Mikaela Mayer
Strengths and Weaknesses
She’s tall — very tall — which gives her great reach and allows her to work behind a top-tier jab. Her style is based on high punch volume and relentless pressure. Against Maïva Hamadouche, she threw over 600 punches: an enormous pace for a 10-round fight with 2-minute rounds. As a former Olympian, she’s faced all styles of opponents and has never appeared tired or out of shape. She can go 10 rounds without any issue.
If I had to name a weakness, it’s that she doesn’t have much knockout power — few KOs on her record. Her offensive style leaves her open to counterpunches. She gets hit often and can become predictable when she over-relies on her jab. An explosive opponent who moves and counters quickly can give her trouble. Alycia Baumgardner proved that.
A Historic Event
This is the biggest women’s boxing match in Canadian history. The stakes are huge and I don’t want to miss a single press conference or the fight itself. Camille Estephan and EOTTM surprised me again with this massive event.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Mary Spencer
On the Podcast
I love Mikaela Mayer. In 2018, I got her trading cards from the Upper Deck Goodwin Champions collection.Her media charisma is next level. She speaks confidently about herself and can verbally spar when necessary. The fact that she was the first major advocate for improving the conditions of professional women boxers makes her a fascinating interview subject.
Her grandmother never misses a fight. Look out for her — she holds up a sign that says “That’s my granddaughter!” and screams throughout the fight. A loyal and loud fan.
