The undefeated WBO female super-featherweight champion, Mikaela Mayer, will make her first title defense this evening against Erica Farias. While many would have hoped for a unification bout against Terri Harper, Mayer will have to get past the challenge of Farias first.
The two will fight as the co-main event of the Naoya Inoue vs. Michael Dasmarinas card. And while the American is the favorite and more popular fighter, Farias, a former two-weight world champion will pose an enormous threat. So, here’s everything you need to know about their contest.
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Mikaela Mayer vs. Erica Farias stats
The champion, Mayer, comes into her first title defense with a perfect record of 14-0. Out of these 14 victories, five have come by knockout. This gives the American a 35% knockout rate. Out of the remaining nine bouts, Mayer won eight by unanimous decision. Therefore, this shows that the champion has knockout power and can also outbox her opponents.
Farias, on the other hand, comes into the bout as the veteran, with more than double the professional bouts as Mayer. The Argentinian has a record of 26-4. Of the 26 victories, ten have come through knockout. This gives her a 33% knockout rate. 14 of the remaining 16 victories have come by unanimous decision. Therefore, it is no secret that Farias, too, can dominate her opponents.
Mikaela Mayer vs. Erica Farias physical attributes
Based on the stats, this is evidently a close fight. However, when you consider the physical attributes, that’s where it gets interesting. The 30-year-old, Mayer, stands at 5-foot-9-inches, which is 5 inches taller than the 5-foot-4-inch Farias.
READ MORE: Mikaela Mayer Shares Her Inspiring Story About Becoming a Professional Boxer
Mayer has a 66 ½-inch reach, but Farias’ reach is unknown.
Other things to know about the two fighters
While the professional game has been kind to Mikaela Mayer, the amateur game is where the American made her mark in the game. Mayer won numerous medals at the National Championships between 2010 and 2015. Ultimately, she represented the USA at the 2016 Olympics.
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Farias, on the other hand, has had a much more established professional career. She won her first world title in the lightweight division in 2011. Farias reigned till 2014 and then moved up and won the super-lightweight title in 2014. She defended the belt for another four years. In addition to all this, Farias also moved up to challenge Cecilia Braekhus for the undisputed title. However, she came up short. In total, Farias has had 14 world title fights in her career.
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Thus, when you consider all these aspects, the fight will be a simple case of Farias’ experience vs. Mayer’s power. Only time will tell which of the two will prevail.
What do you make of this title fight between Mikaela Mayer and Erica Farias? Who do you think will come out on top?