Ryan vs Harper Predictions: World title on the line in a British battle

Sandy Ryan defends her WBO welterweight championship against the decorated Terri Harper on Saturday March 23 in Sheffield. DAZN televise this exciting meeting of world class Brits that will serve as the chief support for Dalton Smith vs Jose Zepeda. Read on for my Ryan vs Harper predictions ahead of a superb Steel City showdown.

In a rarity given the nature of the sport, both fighters are coming into this one off the back of draws. Ryan shared the spoils with unified titleholder Jessica McCaskill in a fight intended to create an undisputed ruler at welterweight. Meanwhile, Harper split the honours with Cecilia Braekhus for the WBA and WBO super welterweight straps. ‘Belter’ came away belt-less from that one, but her reputation as a force at world level remains intact.

This is a finely-poised encounter between two boxers who have led the way in recent years. Ryan amassed Commonwealth, European and World medals in a decorated amateur career before turning over in 2021. Harper’s stay in the amateur game lasted just 17 fights before she turned pro after winning a European Junior Championship silver medal.

While Ryan was dominating the unpaid code, Harper was putting together a fearsome reputation in the pros. She outpointed Eve Wahlstrom to capture the WBC super featherweight strap, successfully defending it against Natasha Jonas with a split draw in 2020. Harper would lose that title to America’s Alycia Baumgardner via a savage fourth-round stoppage that looked like it could derail her career.

‘Belter’ is made of stronger stuff and that hurtful setback ultimately didn’t derail anything. Harper hasn’t lost since, a run that included picking up the WBA super welterweight title with an impressive win over fellow Brit Hannah Rankin in 2022. A victory over former IBF welterweight boss Ivana Habazin followed before the Braekhus draw. Now Harper heads down to welterweight herself in search of a world title in a third division.

While Harper is an old hand at world title level, Ryan competes in a championship fight for just the third time on Saturday. The champion won the vacant WBO belt against Marie-Pier Houle last April in just her seventh pro fight. It was a quick turnaround from a defeat in her fifth outing to Erica Farias, which she avenged in a rematch. 

Ryan has shown the level she belongs at since, taking the elite McCaskill to the limit and coming agonisingly close to unifying the undisputed welterweight crown. While she must park that dream for now, a high-profile fight with Harper is a chance to put herself in the spotlight once again. It has been a fast rise for Ryan and a victory here would be the high-watermark of her pro journey so far.

The same could arguably be said for Harper. While she has reigned twice as a world champion, Ryan would probably be the biggest scalp on her already-impressive record. There’s a lot at stake in this mouthwatering Battle of Britain.

It’s a tough one to call, arguably a little tougher than the odds make out. Harper is an 11/4 to underdog while Ryan is available at 2/7 to get the job done. I think Ryan will get the job done, but I don’t see it being the procession the odds suggest. I think she’ll be pushed hard by the determined ‘Belter’.

I believe the styles on show will gel into one of the year’s most entertaining domestic contests so far. Neither are concussive with their punches and I can see lots of leather thrown over the 10 rounds. My instinct is that Ryan will edge the majority of the exchanges on the way to a points victory, which is 4/7 with Betfred. But don’t be surprised if these two, fresh off a couple of draws, make this one close enough for a rematch.

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