Mikaela Mayer joins Claressa Shields, Virginia Fuchs as Olympic Trials champions

It took a day longer than she hoped, but lightweight Mikaela Mayer achieved her dream of becoming Olympic Trials champion on Sunday in Memphis.

In a winner-takes-all showdown at the Olympic Trials for Women's Boxing, Mayer defeated 2014 Youth Olympic gold medalist Jajaira Gonzalez 2-1 on Sunday at the Cook Convention Center.

Folowing a 15-minute shrill fire alarm, the two boxers made it clear from the opening seconds that they were both going to leave it all in the ring, engaging in furious exchanges throughout the first two rounds. Gonzalez looked to take control in the second, backing Mayer in to the ropes and landing strong shots. Yet Mayer changed it up in the third round, utilizing her movement and reach to attempt to halt Gonzalez's charges. The fourth round was anyone's ballgame and the two boxers left the judges with a difficult task as the bout ended. The officials awarded the fight to Mayer.

"This is the best feeling I've ever had in my entire life. It wouldn't be a Mikaela Mayer story if it didn't end like this. Losing in the finals and falling in to the challengers bracket, that's how my life has always been. Perseverance has always been my key word," Mayer said. "Hat's off to Jajaira, she's definitely one of the toughest opponents I've had in a long time.

"It was the third round, I started to pick up my movement and I said let me just have fun with this, use my boxing skills and have fun with her because that was the only way that I could pull this off. Making her miss was the key."

Mayer joins 2016 Olympic Trials champions Virginia Fuchs and Claressa Shields. The trio will now have to qualify internationally via a continental tournament in March or the World Championships in May.