When female boxers are proving their courage by fighting against the best in big international events, exceeding male boxing where the fans’ reproach is still heard in several categories, the fire grows with each new statement made by those who occupy the top positions in the rankings.

One of the best pound-for-pound fighters of the moment, Irish Katie Taylor, has taken on the challenge of jumping up a division and trying to become undisputed at 140 when she takes on Chantelle Cameron on May 20 at home after 8 years of leaving Ireland to fight on the world’s best stages. Taylor has her focus there.

However, Taylor is the little figure that everyone wants challenge to conquer. Every female boxer in the 135-pound class aspires to have a showdown with Ireland’s female legend. And the American Mikaela Mayer is no exception…

Already by the end of 2022, a month after losing her super featherweight crowns to current undisputed Alycia Baumgardner, Mayer expressed her interest in fighting Taylor while taking credit away from Baumgardner for doing so when she had stated that same desire. 

Mayer has always claimed absolute respect for Taylor. They had been hallway colleagues during their elite amateur stage, even in the Olympics. They know each other. 

Last Saturday, April 15, and after a sudden change of opponent at the last minute, Mikaela Mayer made her debut at lightweight defeating a tough Lucy Wildheart in the United Kingdom to take Taylor’s WBC interim title. And after triumphantly stepping out of the ring, in between words of thanks, she concluded with the firm sentence of conviction, “Katie Taylor is my main target.” 

So the firewood has already been thrown, it will only remain to be seen if the fire will be increased by the protagonist of the story who now only enjoys being able to fight at home again.