Viral ring Girl Sydney Thomas is setting the record straight when it comes to her current relationship status.
“[I] had no problems with him at all — he was great,” the 21-year-old college student said of her ex-boyfriend during a Monday, December 2, interview with YouTube creator Nick Nayersina.
The model went on to clarify that the pair split prior to her appearance as a ring girl during the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul Netflix fight last month, which catapulted Thomas into instant internet fame.
“I just broke up with him because I was like, ‘I just needed and want more time with myself,’” Thomas continued, adding that she wanted to “discover who I am” and needed space to simply “be alone.”
“As hard as it was to lose him and lose each other, I feel like it’s all God’s plan,” the University of Alabama senior shared. “It works out in the end.”
During the same interview, Thomas confirmed that she is currently single and has zero plans on entering the dating pool anytime soon.
“Any man is a distraction to me,” she said.
Instead, Thomas seems focused on turning her viral moment into a long-term career. In a TikTok video shared on Sunday, December 1, the model revealed she has officially signed with the sports division of the prestigious Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
“The craziest week of my life,” Thomas wrote on the video, which featured photos of her time in the ring during the Tyson-Paul fight. For the uninitiated, CAA represents some of the biggest names in sports, including MLB star Shohei Ohtani, NBA star Devin Booker, NHL star Sidney Crosby and WNBA star Cameron Brink.
News of Thomas signing with the agency wasn’t much of a surprise — the model hinted she had partnered with CAA on November 21 via her Instagram Story featuring two photos from her time spent at the agency’s L.A. office.
Later, in a “get to know me” video shared on TikTok, the model said she was “very driven with self-improvement,” before adding that she believes “the biggest investment you can make in your life is an investment in yourself.”
“That’s where I spend most of my time,” she explained at the time. “My path is so different and unique that I take it day by day. I don’t stress too much about the future. I know the path I’m on is the right one and I’ll end up where I need to be and it will all work out in the end.”
While Thomas is focused on her budding career — and her final year of college — she did share what she looks for in a potential romantic partner.
“I need a man that’s taller than six foot,” she told Nayersina. “I’d like a tall man in my life [since] I’m a tall girl. I need someone who is respectful and I think that’s honestly one of the biggest turnoffs for me — when a man isn’t respectful.”