Mikaela Mayer Dominates and Wins NABF Title in Omaha

Mikaela Mayer Floors Vanessa Bradford and Dominates

 

By David A. Avila

Former U.S. Olympian Mikaela Mayer captured the vacant NABF super featherweight title with good body work and a knockdown of Canada’s Vanessa Bradford to win by unanimous decision on Saturday.

Mayer (8-0, 4 KOs) reached her first goal of winning a title and fighting her first eight-round fight as she dominated against Bradford (4-1-2) at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

A win was never in doubt.

Using every advantage she possessed Mayer opened up with her quick left jab and quick accurate combinations in the first round. Bradford saw success landing overhand rights as she connected with a few. It became the theme of the fight for the entire eight-round contest.

Mayer fought with poise and a deliberate pace.

The American fighter with the height, speed, and perhaps power advantage worked behind quick combinations. Never firing more than three-punch combos she quickly eliminated Bradford’s first round success of the overhand rights

Bradford opened the third round with those looping overhand rights, but Mayer quickly regained her footing with right cross-left hook combos. It stopped any momentum built by the Canadian.

Looking to turn the momentum around in round four, Bradford was busier with her attack. But mostly she relied on the same looping overhand rights. She scored some but Mayer quickly worked her way inside and scored with quick three-punch combinations. It was Bradford’s single right hand blows versus Mayer’s three-punch combinations. And though it was the Canadian’s best round, she was simply out-numbered by Mayer’s return fire.

Mayer quickly opened up the fifth round with a stiff right cross and left hook that seemed to hurt the Canadian. Then Mayer followed up with a right cross-left uppercut that caught Bradford flush. The Canadian tried to fight back with those rights but Mayer kept away and used jabs and feints to stymie Bradford’s rights. And when Bradford did finally connect Mayer fired back with more three-punch combinations.

In the sixth round Mayer quickened the pace and once again delivered a lead right-left hook that caught Bradford flush. Then Mayer moved her attack to the body and though the Canadian tried to fire back with rights to the head, more punishing body shots including five consecutive blows to the abdomen by Mayer followed. It was clear the body attack affected Bradford.

Because of the body attack when the seventh round began Mayer opened up with consecutive one-twos to the head and the second salvo floored Bradford early in the round. Bradford survived and was met with more body and head shots. But the Canadian moved slightly into survival mode and set some traps that Mayer did not bite.

Mayer looked to end the fight with a knockout but Bradford was not looking to engage. Though the Canadian did not quit she was not willing to exchange after being dropped earlier in the fight.

For the first time Mayer experienced an eight-round fight and for the first time she grabbed a regional title. All three judges scored the fight 80-71 for Mayer who becomes the NABF super featherweight titlist.

Now the slender boxer-puncher can set her sights on her world title dreams.

 

(Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank)

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