Sandy
Ryan

Former amateur star Sandy Ryan signed promotional terms with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing in May 2021.

The 30-year-old Derby boxer, who claimed gold at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and silver at the 2014 World Championships, had been one of Team GB’s leading medal hopes for the rescheduled Tokyo Games before deciding to turn professional with STN Sports.

Ryan blitzed through her first three opponents in the space of five months before coming unstuck in a split decision defeat to Erica Farias on the undercard of Leigh Wood-Michael Conlan in Nottingham in March 2022. Ryan took an immediate rematch and avenged that loss unanimously on points five months later.

The Midlands talent ended 2022 with a points decision victory over former World Champion Anahi Sanchez to defend her WBC International Super-Lightweight Title.

In search of World Titles, Ryan moved up to Welterweight for a shot at the vacant WBO strap on the undercard of Rakhimov-Cordina in April 2023. Ryan decisioned Marie Pier Houle for the Title before jumping into a monster Unification with Jessica McCaskill in September. Many believed Ryan did enough to beat McCaskill but she was forced to settle for a split decision draw.

Ryan returned in March 2024 with a new team in and out of the ring. Now basing her camp out in Las Vegas, Ryan defended her WBO strap against two-weight World Champion Terri Harper in an all-British World Title fight as chief support to Dalton Smith-Jose Zepeda in Sheffield. Ryan turned in a special performance, forcing the Harper corner to throw the towel in at the end of the fourth round.

Ryan fell short in her attempts to defend her World Title against Mikaela Mayer in New York in a razor-close fight, but the action was marred as the Derby Welterweight as attacked as she left the hotel for the arena by someone throwing a can of paint over her. Remarkably, Ryan still went ahead with the fight and performed brilliantly under the circumstances.