(JULY 15) A busy time for women’s boxing as we’ve seen here on WBAN in recent weeks and more exciting news today as U.S Olympian Mikaela Mayer has confirmed the ‘expected’ news that she has turned Pro under Top Rank. On her Social Media accounts she revealed:

“I have decided to take the next step in my career and have accepted a contract from @trboxing to turn Pro. I have taken SO much pride in representing Team USA over the years and leaving USA Boxing and my chance at an Olympic gold in 2020 was a bittersweet decision for me. However, having the support of the best promotion in the world behind me has motivated me in new ways! I am ready to help grow Women's Boxing in any way that I can and so grateful that I have the support of Top Rank; Ready for the Challenge! Thank you all who have been following me from the beginning. Your support means more to me than you know. I could not be more excited than to be debuting in my hometown of Los Angeles on 2x Olympic champ, Vasyl Lomachenko's undercard on August 5th at the Microsoft Theatre (LA Live). Get your tickets asap! Xoxo love you all! #boxing #toprank #trboxing #womensboxing #lomachenko #lalive #losangeles #la #box #boxeo #pro #prodebut #usaboxing #olympian #boxer #fighter #life #underarmour #underarmourwomen — in Los Angeles, California.”

Mikaela would have loved to win an Olympic Medal in Tokyo as she so narrowly failed to do so in Rio but clearly after her recent defeat in the Continental Federation event in Honduras she felt that now was the time to turn Pro, a move she has been considering even before Rio. She is of course NOT alone as most of the top AIBA female boxers the world over have lost faith in the AIBA because of their failure to have a Women’s Pro tour (which allowed entry to the Olympics for Male boxers in Tokyo) and they have only themselves to blame for not retaining such as Claressa Shields, Nicola Adams, Katie Taylor, Savannah Marshall, Chantelle Cameron, Mayer and many others to consider turning Pro and boxing for other organisations.

"I loved competing as an amateur, but I've always been the type where my ambition comes from having huge dreams, dreams that scare me," Mayer told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "I just felt I wanted a bigger stage, more of a challenge. But it was a really hard decision for me. I went back and forth with it for months."

She enjoyed a good relationship with Team USA Boxing including coaches Kay Koroma and Billy Walsh so why not wait for Tokyo?

"After the Olympics, I felt an emptiness," said Mayer. "I didn't feel I got everything I was going to get out of the Olympics, and not just because I didn't medal. I just thought there was going to be more. The Olympics were over, and I was kind of in the same position I was before”, she told the AP.

Manager George Ruiz approached Top Rank, though Mayer had also had approaches from MMA promoters.

"We sat down with Top Rank, and they were the first promoter to make me think they saw the vision," Mayer said. "Other (boxing) promoters, you don't believe, you don't see. Top Rank did, and within a matter of weeks, we got it done."

"People are seeing what women's boxing has to offer, and I want to be a part of that. I want people to see that elite women can compete with the best, can put on a show."

As Mikaela said in her announcement she is debuting in hometown LA on August 5th on the two times Olympic champion Vasyl Lomachenko’s undercard though it is not yet known if the Mayer bout will be beamed LIVE on TV or via Live Streaming. Oddly enough Mayer never met 5 times AIBA World champion, Taylor as an amateur but now there may be an opportunity for a meeting between the two within a year or so. Same applies to GB’s Natasha Jonas, another recent recruit to the Pro sport.


In another development, Hartlepool & GB Olympian Savannah Marshall (the only woman to have ever defeated Claressa Shields) is also ‘in the news’ for she is on the undercard of the forthcoming ‘boxing’ boot between Floyd Mayweather and Irish MMA star, Conor McGregor.which has gained much publicity, good and bad in recent days for their “Media Conference’ antics.

Here in Europe, there will be the EUBC European Union championships and with a few exciting new young prospects as well as a few remaining experienced contenders yet the recently departed Pros will be sorely missed when the tournament open in Italy.

Ireland though are confident of winning a few medals with a mixture of youth and experience. The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) have named an eight strong squad for the forthcoming championships in Cascia where the tournament runs from August 4th to 13th.

World, European, Commonwealth Games and Youth Olympic medallists Kellie Harrington, Christina Desmond, Michaela Walsh and Ciara Ginty have been named in the team.

Boxing begins on August 5th at the Hotel Margherita Gym. Katie Taylor has won the last five editions of the EU Championships and Irish hopes are high that Kellie Harrington will strike Gold and keep the title in Ireland.

European Union Women’s Championships Cascia, Italy August 4th/13th

48kg Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco,Belfast)
51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road,Belfast)
54kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown Antrim)
57kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart MBA)
60kg Kellie Harrington (St Marys,Dublin)
64kg Ciara Ginty (Geesala,Mayo)
69kg Grainne Walsh (Sparticus,Tullamore )
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s,Cork)