Mikaela Mayer’s return to the ring has been halted last minute as the British Boxing Board of Control reportedly would not clear her opponent, Christina Linardatou to fight.
Mayer lost her IBF and WBO super featherweight titles to Alycia Baumgardner in October of 2022, and looked set to return to winning ways against Greece’s Linardatou.
However, neither were at the weigh-in for the lightweight fight, and shortly after boxing journalist, Dan Rafael, revealed that the bout had been pulled due to issues on Linardatou’s side.
Breaking: Per source Saturday’s #MayerLinardatou fight is canceled. British board would not license Linardatou for a reason not yet clear. #boxing
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) April 14, 2023
Whilst the issue has not yet been expanded on by the promotion or the Board, Rafael followed up with sourced information about a ‘permanent lens’ in Linardatou’s eye that was the issue.
Per source, British board declined to license Linardatou because she has a permanent lens in her eye she has boxed her whole career with but doctor wouldn’t license her. Of note, Board licensed her with same lens when she boxed Katie Taylor there in 2019. https://t.co/s76GXEqbSx
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) April 14, 2023
It’s unclear as of writing if Mayer has a stand-in opponent ready and willing to fill the space in the mid-card fight before Joe Joyce takes on Chinese heavyweight, Zhilei Zhang, in the first defence of his WBO Interim title.
Mayer was a heavy favourite to come out on top of the 14-2 Linardatou, who has previously lost to Katie Taylor via unanimous decision.
This was to be her second fight on UK soil, the first being Baumgardner on the undercard of Savannah Marshall against Claressa Shields. That event was postponed and rescheduled due to the Queen’s death.
Mayer has been angling for a rematch with Baumgardner, who is now undisputed in the division following a victory over Elhem Mekhaled this February.
Many had Mayer, a decorated amateur, as the winner in the bout, but Baumgardner took it on the cards via split decision.
Whilst this cancellation is a bump in the road, there are plenty of exciting fights out there for the 32-year-old from Los Angeles, not least the rematch against Baumgardner or a US vs Ireland scrap with undisputed lightweight champion, Taylor.