Sandy Ryan: WBO welterweight champion leaves home comforts to reach next level

Derby County fan Sandy Ryan parades her world belt at Pride Park in August

Welterweight world champion Sandy Ryan believes a move away from home was needed to stay at the top of her sport.

The Derby boxer is deep into a training camp in Las Vegas for her upcoming WBO title defence against fellow Briton Terri Harper on 23 March in Sheffield.

It will be Ryan's second defence of her belt, while Harper, 27, is bidding to become a three-division champion.

"I've brought myself away from family, friends, but I feel like it's for the better," she told BBC Radio Derby.

"It's going to benefit me, it's going to push me to another level. I need to get out of my comfort zone.

"I need to make sure I'm doing that extra one per cent and I feel like me bringing myself away here, that's what's going to make the difference."

While missing home, Ryan is thankful for the lack of distraction which allows her to focus fully on her upcoming clash.

"When I'm back home in Derby, there's a lot of things for me to do," she said.

"When I'm here I can fully focus on training. I train, I go back to my room and I rest. At this level, that's what you need to do."

The last six months have brought a series of changes for the 30-year-old.

Last October, she split from Clifton Mitchell, her coach of almost 18 years, to focus her career overseas.

Then two months later, she changed manager, hooking up with Brian Peters, who also looks after two-weight undisputed world champion Katie Taylor.

The move came after Ryan had sparred with Taylor in preparation for the Irishwoman's rematch with Chantelle Cameron last November.

"She's such a great person and we get on really well," Ryan said.

"It's great to be alongside Katie - we talk about certain things and I get certain things from her."

Ryan is "very confident" about defending her belt against Harper - "a great fighter" - and already knows where she'll be heading once the bout is over.

"I'll be in Derby the day after my fight, so I can't wait," she said.

"Because I'm so far away I'm missing it more, but I know it's for the best.

"This is my life, my boxing career for the next three, four years, however long I'm going to be fighting to make a better life for me and the people around me."