WBO welterweight champion Mikaela Mayer is deep in preparation for her highly anticipated rematch against Sandy Ryan. Set to take place at the Fontainebleau Arena in Las Vegas on March 29, the bout marks Mayer’s 23rd professional fight since making her debut in 2017. However, as the fight night approaches quickly, fans are growing increasingly curious about Mayer’s life beyond the ring.

The 2016 Rio Olympian has seen a steady rise in popularity over the past few years, drawing increasing attention from fans and media alike. As her star continues to shine, curiosity about Mayer’s background, ethnicity, and personal beliefs has grown tenfold. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at everything you need to know about the 34-year-old boxing champion.

What is Mikaela Mayer’s ethnicity and nationality?

Born with the name Mikaela Joslin Mayer, the 34-year-old was born in Woodland Hills, California, United States. This should tell you all you need to know about her nationality. However, in the rare case, that it doesn’t convince you, the WBO welterweight champion has also represented the United States of America in the Olympics. She competed in the women’s 60 kg (lightweight) category at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. And she did quite well there, too! She advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Jennifer Chieng. However, Russia’s Anastasia Belyakova ended her run with a majority decision win over Mayer. As for her ethnicity, not much has been recorded in internet archives about it, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing there. According to some sources, the Woodland Hills native has some European ancestry.

Mayer first gained attention during her amateur career, winning a bronze medal at the 2012 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. She went on to secure gold at the 2016 AIBA Americas Qualifier. However, that’s not all. Mayer had a bright future in the sport, earning several national titles before turning professional in 2017.

One of the biggest promoters in the sport, Top Rank, quickly saw the potential in Mayer and decided to sign the boxer to their company. This set her on the path to eventually becoming the WBO super featherweight champion in 2020. She even managed to defend the title against some of the finest competition three times.

But her luck ran out in 2022 when she came face to face with Alycia Baumgardner. The unification bout saw Mayer land one step shorter in winning the fight, as Baumgardner snatched her belt via split decision. Despite the setback, Mayer continues to be a leading figure in women’s boxing as she looks forward to achieving more accolades.

Which religion does Mikaela Mayer follow? Early life

Mikaela Mayer’s religious beliefs aren’t publicly documented, but her surname gives some hint of what faith she might follow. The name ‘Mayer’ has German roots and is common among several religious communities, which include Jewish and Christian. Still, determining her exact religious bend is impossible without explicit information from the boxer herself.

Mayer grew up largely in Los Angeles and had to live through a turbulent day-to-day life. She was expelled from high school for fighting but hadn’t discovered boxing to use it as an outlet yet. “I was ditching school, drinking,” she recalled. “I wouldn’t come home for weeks at a time.” Her initial career choice would have taken her to a different lifestyle, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Mayer tried modeling and even landed a magazine photoshoot at one point, but those career avenues were rendered useless when she passed a gym close to her home one day. Curiosity took over, and she stepped inside. And boom! She never looked back. Mayer remembers this turning point in her life as an “epiphany,” noting her reckless past “wasn’t me.”

Even then, boxing wasn’t exactly her choice of combat sport, she gravitated more towards Thai kickboxing. However, over time, boxing grew on her, and she transitioned to the sport full-time, catching the attention of Olympic coach Al Mitchell. This led her to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, where she honed her skills.

“Some girls would punch each other and start crying. They couldn’t handle it,” she said. But for her, boxing became a way to channel her energy and discipline. Over time, she became one of the leading figures in women’s boxing, proving that “we’ve gone from ‘no future’ to women being USA Boxing’s prize possession.”

Mikaela Mayer might not be the biggest name in women’s boxing, but she clearly has a deep connection with the sport, which intertwines with her own past. In a way, it made her who she is today. Just imagine, had she not come across that one gym in her hometown, boxing would have one less world champion and fewer great fights. What are your thoughts about MM’s story?