“You’ve Got to Rip the Title Away”: Former World Champion Gives His Verdict on Controversial Mikaela Mayer vs. Natasha Jonas Fight

Joe Gallagher, Natasha Jonas‘ trainer, offers a definitive stance on the controversial outcome. “Natasha Jonas obviously defended the world title,” he begins, emphasizing Jonas’ role as the reigning champion on her home ground in Liverpool. Gallagher underlines a crucial aspect of boxing championships: “When you’re a Challenger in someone else’s backyard, then you’ve got to rip the title away,” he asserts, suggesting that Mayer’s efforts, though commendable, fell short of this unwritten yet pivotal standard.

Gallagher then delves into the strategic execution that led to Jonas’ victory. “Natasha… stuck to the game plan, got rounds banked early on,” he reveals, highlighting the importance of a strong start in a title defense. This approach, aimed at establishing an early lead, was critical in their game plan. “We knew it’d be hard down the straight, and we hung in there and got the win,” he adds, acknowledging the intense challenge Mayer posed in the later rounds.

Addressing the scorecard that has been a focal point of the debate, Gallagher expresses his perspective on the 97-93 score in favor of Mayer. “I don’t know what that judge was watching,” he states, voicing his disagreement with the wide margin indicated by this particular score. In his view, a close victory for either boxer would have been more reasonable.

Moreover, Gallagher refrains from labeling the fight a “robbery,” a term used by many Mayer supporters. Instead, he describes the match as “a hard-fought contest between two girls,” underscoring the effort and skill displayed by both athletes in the ring. His comments paint a picture of a closely contested battle, where the finer nuances of strategy and execution played a pivotal role in determining the winner.

In the heated Jonas vs. Mayer showdown, CompuBox stats revealed a striking contrast in fighting styles. Mayer, aggressive and relentless, threw a staggering 493 punches, landing 149. In contrast, Jonas, more measured and precise, attempted 312 punches, connecting with 125. This resulted in Mayer landing 30.2% of her shots, while Jonas achieved a higher accuracy rate of 40.1%.

Notably, Jonas also outperformed in body shots, landing 52 power punches and 3 jabs to Mayer’s body, against Mayer’s 38. Post-fight, Mayer, convinced of her performance, pushed for a rematch. Despite lacking a rematch clause, the 33-year-old remains adamant about proving her prowess in a second bout, believing she had done enough to clinch the first contest.