Boxing stands out for its unique blend of trash talk and intense physical competition. Mikaela Mayer, a three-weight world champion, has recently signed with Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions and remains grounded about her sport, acknowledging its pitfalls.
One of the toughest challenges she faced was coping with her first professional loss to Alycia Baumgardner by split decision four years ago. Mayer recalls, "I was dealing with the pressures of my own career and my own goals, and then you hop online and you have the world bashing you." She believes that because boxers engage in trash talk, fans feel they can do the same, making it a struggle to cope with personal pain and stay motivated. Mayer credits her team with helping her build confidence again after her loss. She returned to the ring six months later, debuting at lightweight and clinching the WBC interim lightweight title.
Mayer advises young boxers not to let criticism hold them back and to find a unique selling point to stand out from their rivals. "It's not good enough just to be a good boxer.
You have to look the part, promote yourself, and find something that separates you from everybody else," she says. This challenge is not unique to boxing, as female athletes across various sports face similar struggles with online toxicity while trying to promote themselves and their sports.