Following Katie Taylor's impressive revenge win over Chantelle Cameron, there's been a shake-up in the women's pound-for-pound ratings.
Amid a raucous atmosphere, Taylor emerged the majority decision winner at the 3Arena in Dublin and made history by becoming a double undisputed world champion. Having reigned supreme at lightweight for several years, the Irish star is now undisputed at super lightweight.
The main question that the Sporting News' global combat team had to answer was if Taylor's triumph was enough to see her take over Claressa Shields for the No.1 spot. It was a close-run contest, but Shields just held on to the throne via split decision.
MORE: Katie Taylor avenges loss to Chantelle Cameron with points win
The team has also made the decision to remove Alycia Baumgardner from the ratings. It was reported in August that Baumgardner had tested positive for a banned substance (mesterolone) three days prior to scoring a points win over Christina Linardatou in July. The test was conducted by Drug Free Sport.
While the undisputed super featherweight champion was cleared by an independent testing organisation that she herself enlisted, the panel did not deem this satisfactory. Baumgardner may be rated again in the future if she's cleared to fight by relevant commissions/authorities.
The Sporting News now presents its updated top 12 pound-for-pound fighters in women's boxing.
12. Marlen Esparza
- Record: 14-1 (1 KO)
- Titles held: reigning WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring flyweight champion
One of the top fighters in boxing competes within one of the sports lightest divisions, as Marlen Esparza acts as the queen of flyweights, possessing the WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring belts.
After winning bronze in the 2012 Olympics, Esparza turned pro in 2017 and made an immediate impact. While she failed to capture the interim WBA flyweight title in 2019 against Seniesa Estrada, she rebounded with seven wins in a row. During that run, Esparza beat Ibeth Zamora Silva in 2021 for the WBC flyweight belt, Naoko Fujioka in 2022 for the WBA title, and recently edged Gabriela Celeste Alaniz in July to add the WBO title to her collection.
The last fighter for Esparza’s to conquer and become undisputed is IBF champion Gabriela Fundora. However, the WBO may step in and have her fight mandatory challenger Gabriela Alaniz first.
Next fight: TBA
11. Mikaela Mayer
- Record: 19-1 (5 KOs)
- Titles held: Former IBF, WBO, and Ring Magazine super-featherweight champion
Mayer is personable and has an infectious smile, but this California-based ex-champ is all business.
The 32-year-old pressure fighter partially unified the 130-pound division before targeting WBC counterpart Alycia Baumgardner in a unification bout. It was a close encounter in London last October, and Baumgardner was given the nod by a 10-round split decision. It was a disappointing setback for Mayer, who has vowed to regroup.
Mayer’s career-best wins include Ewa Brodnicka (UD 10), Erika Farias (UD 10), and Maiva Hamadouche (UD 10).
She recently debuted at 140 pounds and has been linked to a fight with Natasha Jonas.
Next fight: Natasha Jonas on January 20.
10. Delfine Persoon
- Record: 48-3 (19 KOs)
- Titles held: Former WBC lightweight champion
While Persoon made nine defenses of the WBC lightweight title, she is best known for pushing Katie Taylor to the limit in June 2019.
Many felt the Belgium-based volume puncher came out on the wrong end of a 10-round split decision when the pair met in an undisputed title clash. Taylor then claimed a hard-fought unanimous decision in the rematch; a result which forced Persoon down to 130 pounds.
While closer to the end of her career than the beginning, the 38-year-old former champ remains a hard night’s work for anyone at super featherweight.
Next Fight: TBA
9. Savannah Marshall
- Record: 13-1 (10 KOs)
- Titles held: Undisputed super middleweight champion
Although Amanda Serrano may argue, Marshall is generally regarded as the hardest pound-for-pound puncher in the women’s game. The ex-champ has an eye-popping 77% knockout ratio, and some of her stoppages have been absolutely devastating.
Marshall, 31, recently lost her unbeaten record to former amateur rival and pound-for-pound supremo Claressa Shields (UD 10), but she bounced back in style to dethrone undisputed super middleweight queen Franchon Crews-Dezurn.
Next Fight: TBA
8. Dina Thorslund
- Record: 19-0 (8 KOs)
- Titles held: Reigning WBC/ WBO bantamweight champion, former WBO super bantamweight champion
This Danish star has been at the world level for over five years and has gone from strength to strength.
After claiming the vacant WBO bantamweight crown and defending it three times, Thorslund elected to drop down in weight and seek more gold at bantamweight. She defeated Jasseth Noriega to win the WBO crown and made another three defences before adding the WBC and Ring titles at the expense of Yuliahn Luna Avila.
Next fight: TBA
7. Yakosta Valle
- Record: 30-2 (9 KOs)
- Titles held: Reigning IBF/ WBO minimumweight, former IBF atomweight
A multiple world title winner in two weight classes, Costa Rica's Valle is an exceptional technician with a record of 11-2 in championship fights.
After winning the IBF atomweight title, Valle moved up to light flyweight and put a pair of setbacks behind her to claim the IBF crown at 105 pounds. Since that time, Valle has made nine title defences in total and added the WBO version of the title.
A potential matchup against WBA, WBC, and Ring champ Seniesa Estrada is one of the biggest in women's boxing.
Next fight: TBA
6. Natasha Jonas
- Record: 14-2-1 (9 KOs)
- Titles held: Reigning IBF welterweight champ/ Reigning IBF, WBC, and WBO super welterweight champion
What a story this is! A former Olympian, Jonas was held to a draw by then-WBC super-featherweight champ Terri Harper, and narrowly outpointed by lightweight champ Katie Taylor.
Running out of options, the Liverpool star raised eyebrows when she decided to roll the dice at junior middleweight.
The gamble paid off for the amiable lefty who has gone from strength to strength. Over the past year, Jonas, 38, has knocked off Chris Namus (TKO 2), Patricia Berghult (UD 10), and Marie Eve Dicaire to become the unified champ at 154 pounds.
In her most recent outing, Jonas picked up the IBF welterweight title at the expense of Kandi Wyatt.
Next Fight: Mikaela Mayer on January 20.
5. Seniesa Estrada
- Record: 25-0 (9 KOs)
- Titles held: Reigning WBA minimumweight champion
Estrada is known as “Super Bad,” and in a 12-year professional career, she’s lived up to her ring moniker. The undefeated Los Angeles native scored the fastest knockout in women’s boxing history when she blasted out the hapless Miranda Adkins in just seven seconds.
The 30-year-old boxer-puncher, who previously held a world title at light-flyweight, has scored notable wins over Marlen Esparza (TD 9), Anabel Ortiz (UD 10), and Tenkai Tsunami (UD 10), and Tina Rupprecht (UD 10).
Next Fight: TBA
4. Chantelle Cameron
- Record: 18-1 (8 KOs)
- Titles held: N/A
Cameron was sensational in handing Katie Taylor her first professional defeat back in May and was extremely competitive in the rematch. Despite the loss, "Il Capo" is an elite-level operator and she'll be back mixing with the best in 2024.
The Northampton star began her run at super lightweight in 2020. She cemented her status in 2022 by beating Victoria Bustos and welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill to win the undisputed championship at super lightweight.
Next fight: TBA
3. Amanda Serrano
- Record: 46-2-1 (30 KOs)
- Titles held: Reigning undisputed featherweight champion, former IBF super-featherweight champion, former WBO lightweight champion, former WBO junior-featherweight champion, former WBO bantamweight champion, former, former WBO light-welterweight champion, WBO junior-bantamweight champion,
Serrano is a seven-division champion (a Guinness World Record for women in boxing). Making her pro debut in 2009, "The Real Deal" has moved up and down weight classes with great success.
She is one world title behind Manny Pacquiao for equalling the record of title wins in different weight divisions. Although she had a 28-fight win streak snapped by Taylor in an instant classic, Serrano proved that all her hard work over the years paid off.
The champion has rebounded with wins over Sarah Mahfoud, Erika Cruz Hernandez, and Heather Hardy in a rematch. The first featherweight champion ever, Serrano made more history by fighting Danila Ramos over 12-three-minute rounds (the first female fight to be scheduled for that distance since 2007) in October and claimed a split decision.
Next fight: TBA
2. Katie Taylor
- Record: 23-1 (6 KOs)
- Titles held: Undisputed lightweight champion, undisputed super lightweight champion
Taylor's 10-round majority decision revenge triumph over Chantelle Cameron has made the Irish superstar bigger than ever... and that's saying something.
The 2012 Olympic gold medalist made her debut in 2016 and has taken down a Murderers' Row of competitors. Taylor has beaten the likes of Jessica McCaskill, Victoria Bustos, Eva Wahlstrom, Rose Volante, Delfine Persoon, Natasha Jonas, Amanda Serrano and Cameron.
At 37, it is unknown how much longer "The Bray Bomber" will continue to fight, but while boxing fans still have her, she will look to resume her run as one of boxing’s best.
Next fight: TBA
1. Claressa Shields
- Record: 14-0 (2 KOs)
- Titles held: Two-time undisputed middleweight champion, former undisputed super-middleweight champion, former IBF, WBA, and The Ring super welterweight champion
The self-proclaimed “G.W.O.A.T.” has earned that nickname, as she has backed up all of her trash talk.
Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, turned pro in 2016. At only 13-0, Shields is a three-time undisputed champion, having held all the titles at super-middleweight once and the middleweight division twice.
The 27-year-old won two fights in 2022, her last bout being a unanimous decision win over Savannah Marshall in October. She avenged the only loss of her career (in the amateurs) against Marshall, and became the undisputed middleweight champion for a second time while main eventing a sold-out O2 Arena.
That extremely convincing victory — which came after initially seeing the grudge match postponed with only two days' notice, due to the passing of the Queen — led to Shields being named The Sporting News' Women's Boxer of the Year.
Next fight: TBA