Mikaela Mayer’s Olympic hopes

Mikaela Mayer warms up before a bout at the PAL boxing tournament in Toledo, where she would lose to eventual winner N’yteeyah Sherman.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Mayer talks on her cell phone after losing her first bout at the PAL national tournament in Ohio.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Mayer says her loss at the PAL event was a learning experience. “I want more fights,” she said. “The more the better because you’re gaining experience. You learn so much for every fight.”   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Olympic boxing hopeful Makaela Mayer, posing at a gym in Canoga Park, will try to qualify for the Olympics in the ultra-competitive 132-pound division against PAL national champion N’yteeyah Sherman of Ohio, Long Beach’s Patricia Manuel, the first woman to beat Mayer, and Seattle’s Queen Underwood, a five-time national champion and the only U.S. woman to win a world championship medal at an Olympic weight.   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Mayer is riding a wave of success heading into the Olympic trials in February. She recently beat former European Union champion Sandra Kruk and World Championship medalist Karolina Graczyk, both of Poland, and former world kick-boxing champion Julia Irmen of Germany on successive days in last month’s International Dual Series in Oxnard.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Mayer attributes her improvement to working for nearly a year with Al Mitchell in Michigan. “I went there thinking I was decent and he just broke me down,” Mikaela said. “Within six months he made me just 50 times better. I don’t think I would have a chance at this trials if it wasn’t for him.”   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Mayer’s sister Sadie said that Mikaela isn’t a tomboy as one might think. “Behind the scenes she’s really not a tomboy,” Sadie said. “She’s girlie.”   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Mayer will put her Olympic dreams on the line in February when the U.S. boxing trials are held near Spokane, Wash. “There’s lots of good girls coming to the trials,” Mikaela said. “This trials is up for grabs.”   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)