Women’s monthly rankings: January 2024

UPDATES

Boxers are ranked according to ability and accomplishments in their respective weight classes. Fighters may be removed if they have been inactive for over 18 months and still have no fights scheduled.

Lineal Boxing Champion’s long-standing, independent, non-computerised, monthly divisional ratings, began on April 6th, 2019 – at this time, no such ratings existed in women’s professional boxing.

The international panel that produces the ratings, consists of ten boxing analysts, from nine different countries.

Super Middleweight

Elin Cederroos’ retirement in September means she exits the ratings. Christina Hammer’s inactivity, also results in her exiting. Shadasia Green moves to #2, Sonya Dreiling moves up to #3, Olivia Curry and Melinda Watpool enter at #4 and #5, respectively.

Junior Lightweight

Beatriz Ferreira moves from #5 to #4, following her KO of Destiny Jones on December 9, switching place with Elhem Mekhaled.

Bantamweight

Ebanie Bridges lost her IBF strap via 10-round unanimous decision to Miyo Yoshida on December 9th. Yoshida had been defeated in a close 10-round decision to Shurretta Metcalf in November, but her performance against IBF titlist, Bridges was so impressive it has moved her to #2 in our 118lb ratings, with Metcalf now at #3, lowering Bridges to #4, Nina Hughes to #5 and pushing Florencia Juarez out of the top-five.

Ratings Panel

David Avila: 2019 Inductee IWBHF. Journalist at The Sweet Science. California, USA. @AvilaBoxing

Daniel Yanofsky: Boxing journalist for The Sporting News. New York, USA. @DanYanofsky

Ireneusz Fryszkowski: Boxing Journalist. Poland. @RingBlogpl

Julian Haramoure: Boxing journalist, including articles for Argentina Amateur Deporte and ElRoundFinal.com. Argentina. @JulianFunky

Yuriko Miyata: Boxing journalist, including articles for The Ring and ThePrizeFighters.com. Japan. @Yuriyuri0803

GM Ross: Boxing journalist. Host of Pugilistically Inclined podcast. Canada. @CanadianBoxiana

Blanca Gutierrez: Creator of Beautiful Brawlers. 2019 Inductee IWBHF. 2018 Inductee WCBHOF. USA. @bbrawlersboxing

Inaky Arzate: Boxing journalist, including articles for TUDN. Mexico. @inaky_arzate

Benjamin Thomas Watt: BoxRec editor and boxing judge. New Zealand. @Bennyaha

Adam McMeeking: Member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and Editor of LinealBoxingChampion.com. United Kingdom. @TripleJabBoxing

Lineal Boxing Champion: End of Year Awards 2023

Trainer of the Year

Thomas Madsen (trainer of Dina Thorslund).

Dina Thorslund currently sits atop the bantamweight division, after a brilliant, dominating 10-round unanimous decision over Yulihan Luna Avila at Graakjaer Arena in Denmark, on September 1. Heading into the bout, Lineal Boxing Champion had Avila ranked number one at 118lb, with Thorslund at number two; the victory made Thorslund not just the unified champion, but the true divisional queen. Thorslund winning was not a shock, but the emphatic nature of the win was largely unexpected, as Avila is an experienced fighter and has several world class wins on her resume, including her 2020 near-shutout battering of Mariana Juarez. Against Avila. Thorslund put in a career-best performance; she made beating the talented Mexican “look” easy.

Her coach, Thomas Madsen, has been by her side, helping her reach the pinnacle. Neither Madsen or Thorslund grab many headlines for outside-of-the-ring activities, but it is their work ethic and Thorslund’s results inside the ropes that have earned them worldwide respect. Dina has now won thirteen scheduled 10-round (championship distance) fights, and overall has a flawless 20-0 record.

Speaking in 2018 ahead of a career-toughest clash with veteran Alicia Ashley, Madsen said:

“Dina must put pressure on Ashley from the outset. She must also avoid chasing Ashley and instead focus on cutting off the ring.”

“I don’t see this fight as a forgone conclusion, but I am pretty sure Dina’s physicality will prove too fierce for Ashley.”

Thorslund won, and has continued to do so for a further six years. Superb conditioning and having a coach who does not underestimate the opposition and gives sound tactical advice, meant that when the time came in September 2023 to fight for bantamweight supremacy against Luna Avila, Thorslund was more than ready.

Honourable mentions

Tito Bermudez: Trainer of Evelin Bermudez.

Gloria “Coach G” Alvarado: Trainer of Yokasta Valle.

KO of the Year

Julissa Guzman KO-8 Ramla Ali

(June 17, 2023)

At an Eddie Hearn event (Prograis/Zorrilla) in New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 17, Ramla Ali was looking to win her 9th straight fight. On paper, Julissa Guzman (12-2-2) was a step up in quality, but she was an opponent that the Brit was expected to beat on her ascent to a world title shot. Ali boxed well in patches, but it soon became apparent Guzman had the heavier hands. At the end of round five - a round in which Ali had been successfully using her length and light footwork - Guzman managed to thud a hard right hand into Ali’s chin, sending her crashing to the seat of her pants; she beat the count, but appeared groggy. To her credit, Ali recovered well and in round eight she was on the attack, firing jabs and right crosses at her Mexican adversary in an attempt to grab control of the bout, when Guzman sent a perfect left hook past Ali’s low right hand, hitting her flush on the chin. Ali was out, flat on her her back, and although she bravely attempted to get to her feet, she was unable to do so by the count of ten.

Honourable mention

Gabriela Fundora KO-5 Arely Mucino. A terrific stoppage from Fundora and a demonstration of her formidable punching power against an elite opponent. The fight featured two knockdowns, but in the end it was Mucino’s corner that stopped the contest when their fighter was getting pummelled against the ropes.

(October 21, 2023)

Fight of the Year

Katie Taylor MD-10 Chantelle Cameron

(November 25, 2023)

A tremendous battle between two of the world’s P4P-top-five fighters. Cameron had inflicted Taylor’s first professional loss, by majority decision in Dublin, in May. At the age of the 36 and having already achieved everything in the sport, Taylor could easily have sailed off into retirement with her legendary career intact, but instead, she met Cameron in an immediate rematch six months later, now age 37. A solid jab from Cameron in the opening round combined with Taylor’s foot appearing to trip on Cameron’s, had Katie briefly on the canvas; this was more of an interesting post-fight talking point, and wasn’t scored as an official knockdown. Aside from this, neither fighter touched the canvas, but the pace was furious though-out. In the end it was Cameron’s face that was bruised and swollen; Taylor had narrowly landed the greater volume of punches and had edged control of most of the rounds, to have her arm raised in victory, winning by majority decision, and evening the tally between the two.

Honourable mentions

Amanda Serrano UD-10 Erika Cruz

Chantelle Cameron MD-10 Katie Taylor

Fighter of the Year

Amanda Serrano

In 2023, Amanda Serrano fought three times, winning all three. On February 4th, in what was a clash between the two best fighters at 126lb, Serrano emerged victorious by a blood-soaked 10-round unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden Theater, a fight in which both women threw a combined 1912 punches! The fight filled the Lineal Championship vacancy at featherweight and Serrano added the WBA strap to her WBC/IBF/WBO titles, becoming the undisputed champion.

In August, Serrano trounced Heather Hardy in a rematch of their 2019 fight, and in October she comfortably outpointed top-five-ranked, Danila Ramos. Serrano/Ramos was historic as it was the first occasion a reigning Lineal Champion (who was also an undisputed champion), had defended her crown in a 12 x 3-minute-round fight.

Honourable mentions:

Dina Thorslund: after defeating Vanesa Taborda by TKO in March, Thorslund widely outpointed Luna Avila on September 1, in Holstebro, Denmark, for bantamweight supremacy, adding the Mexican’s WBC belt to the WBO strap she already owned.

Katie Taylor: the Irishwoman lost to P4P-top-10-ranked Chantelle Cameron in March, but in an immediate rematch, she won a 10-round majority decision to take the Lineal Championship and undisputed title in her second weight class.

Yesica Nery Plata: defeated Kim Clavel in Canada on January 13th, in what was a battle between the best two women at junior flyweight and unification of the WBA/WBC belts to fill the 108lb Lineal Championship vacancy. Plata, an under appreciated road warrior, then took her crown to Germany on December 16th, defeating 17-0, Sarah Bormann by 10-round split decision.

Previous FOTY winners:

2019: Katie Taylor

2020: Jessica McCaskill

2021: Amanda Serrano

2022: Claressa Shields

… …

Thank you to all our ratings panel members for their contributions in 2023 and for those that voted in our End of Year Awards.

@LinealBoxChamp