Sandy Ryan: World title hopeful 'trying to perfect performances' after latest win

Sandy Ryan says she is still "trying to perfect performances" as she prepares for a looming world title bout.

The 29-year-old kept hold of her WBC international light-middleweight belt when she dominated Anahi Sanchez in her win at Wembley Arena on Saturday.

A fifth win in six bouts since turning professional last year cemented her as world number two in her division.

"I know the next fight will be a big one. I'm excited," Ryan said.

Before Saturday's bout, Ryan said that she and her team would hold promoter Eddie Hearn to his claim that she would soon earn a tilt at a world title.

The win against three-weight world champion Sanchez was her first since overcoming former world champion Erica Farias in a rematch.

That win in August avenged the loss Ryan - a successful former amateur boxer who won Commonwealth Games gold in 2018 - suffered against 38-year-old Farias earlier in the year.

Ryan said she was "quite happy" with her latest showing, a unanimous points victory against Sanchez, in which the Derbyshire boxer tried to give "fans what they like to see".

"I can box, I could have made the fight quite an easy fight and quite a technical win, but I thought - and Cliff [trainer Clifton Mitchell] told me - to push on a bit and take it to her."

Mitchell was pleased to see Ryan again come out on top in convincing fashion, but reiterated that they will continue to "strive for perfection".

"For me, she showed things in there that she'd not shown before," he said.

"Let's not take it away from her opponent that's world class. You are going to get caught with shots but we are trying to eradicate that."