Women’s boxing divisional rankings: Nicolson solidifies spot at featherweight

Skye Nicolson defeated Raven Chapman by unanimous decision Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to retain her WBC featherweight title.

Nicolson dominated the fight with her jab and slick footwork and won by a wide margin on the three judges’ scorecards (99-91, 98-92 and 98-92).

Nicolson (12-0, 1 KO), of Queensland, Australia, has been very active, with eight fights in the last two years. This was her second defense of the WBC belt since she won it back in April. Chapman (9-1, 2 KOs), of Norfolk, England, suffered the first loss of her career.

The other champions in the division are Amanda Serrano, the WBO and WBA champion, and Nina Meinke, who holds the IBF belt. With the victory, Nicolson solidifies her No. 2 spot in the 126-pound division.

Rankings will be updated every Tuesday. They’ll be based on recent bouts, head-to-head competition and the quality of opponent. As with almost everything, until fighters square off against one another, there is a layer of subjectivity to it. Fighters who haven’t fought in 18 months and don’t have a fight scheduled will be removed from the rankings until they fight again.

For a list of the current champions in all weight classes, click here. For women’s P4P rankings, click here.

175+ pounds – Super middleweight – Middleweight – Junior middleweight – Welterweight – Junior welterweight – Lightweight – Junior lightweight – Featherweight – Junior featherweight – Bantamweight – Junior bantamweight – Flyweight – Junior flyweight – Strawweight – Atomweight

175+ POUNDS

1. Claressa Shields*  

  Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 15-0, 3 KO
Last: W (KO2) Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, July 27
Next: TBA

2. Lani Daniels**  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 11-2-2, 1 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Bolatito Oluwole, Sept. 7
Next: TBA

3. Che Kenneally***  

  Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 14-4-3, 7 KOs
Last: W (TKO3) Angie Paola Rocha, July 20
Next: TBA

4. Raquel Miller  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 13-0, 6 KOs
Last: W (TKO1) Angie Paola Rocha, March 10
Next: TBA

5. Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 7-2, 2 KO
Last: L (KO2) Claressa Shields, July 27
Next: TBA

*Editor’s note: Claressa Shields is the WBC heavyweight champion and the WBO light heavyweight champion.

**Editor’s note: Lani Daniels is the IBF light heavyweight champion.

***Editor’s note: Che Kenneally is the WBA light heavyweight champion.

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT (Up to 168 pounds)

1. Savannah Marshall  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 13-1, 10 KOs
Last: W (MD10) Franchon Crews Dezurn, July 1
Next: TBA

2. Franchon Crews-Dezurn  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 9-2, 2 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Shadasia Green, Dec. 15
Next: TBA

3. Shadasia Green  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 14-1, 11 KOs
Last: W (UD8) Natasha Spence, July 20
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Melinda Watpool

4. Abril Argentina Vidal  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 10-2, 4 KOs
Last: L (SD10) Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, March 7
Next: TBA

5. Olivia Curry  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 7-2-1, 2 KOs
Last: Draw (SD16) Melody Popravak, April 27
Next: TBA

MIDDLEWEIGHT (Up to 160 pounds)

1. Claressa Shields  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 15-0, 3 KOs
Last: W (KO2) Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, July 27
Next: TBA

2. Savannah Marshall  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 13-1, 10 KOs
Last: W (MD10) Franchon Crews Dezurn, July 1
Next: TBA

3. Melinda Watpool  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 7-0, 2 KO
Last: W (UD10) Natasha Spence, Sept. 20
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Shadasia Green

4. Desley Robinson  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 8-3-3, 2 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Mapule Ngubane, Aug. 23
Next: TBA

5. Olivia Curry  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 7-2-1, 2 KOs
Last: Draw (SD16) Melody Popravak, April 27
Next: TBA

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT (Up to 154 pounds)

1. Terri Harper  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 15-2-2, 6 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Rhiannon Dixon, Sept. 28
Next: TBA

2. Ema Kozin  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 24-1-1, 12 KOs
Last: W (SD10) Hannah Rankin, Nov. 18
Next: TBA

3. Femke Hermans  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 18-4, 7 KOs
Last: W (UD6) Ester Konecna, Jan. 13
Next: TBA

4. Cecilia Braekhus  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 38-2-1, 9 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Maricela Cornejo, Aug. 10
Next: TBA

5. Dilara Yucel  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 16-0, 11 KOs
Last: W (KO1) Sonja Pilipovic, June 22
Next: TBA

WELTERWEIGHT (Up to 147 pounds)

1. Natasha Jonas  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 15-2-1, 9 KOs
Last: W (SD10) Mikaela Mayer, Jan. 20
Next: TBA

2. Mikaela Mayer  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 20-2, 5 KOs
Last: W (MD10) Sandy Ryan, Sept. 27
Next: TBA

3. Sandy Ryan  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 7-2-1, 3 KOs
Last: L (MD10) Mikaela Mayer, Sept. 27
Next: TBA

4. Lauren Price  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 7-0, 1 KO
Last: W (TD9) Jessica McCaskill, May 11
Next: TBA

5. Ivana Habazin  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 23-5, 7 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Kinga Magyar, April 20
Next: TBA

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT (Up to 140 pounds)

1. Katie Taylor  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 23-1, 6 KOs
Last: W (MD10) Chantelle Cameron, Nov. 25
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Amanda Serrano

2. Chantelle Cameron  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 19-1, 8 KOs
Last: W (MD10) Elhem Mekhaled, July 20
Next: TBA

3. Amanda Serrano  

  Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 47-2-1, 31 KOs
Last: W (TKO2) Stevie Morgan, July 20
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Katie Taylor

4. Jessica McCaskill  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 12-4-1, 5 KOs
Last: L (UD10) Lauren Price, May 11
Next: TBA

5. Elhem Mekhaled  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 17-3, 3 KOs
Last: L (MD10) Chantelle Cameron, July 20
Next: TBA

LIGHTWEIGHT (Up to 135 pounds)

1. Katie Taylor  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 23-1, 6 KOs
Last: W (MD10) Chantelle Cameron, Nov. 25
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Amanda Serrano

2. Caroline Dubois  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 10-0, 5 KO
Last: W (UD10) Maria Moneo, Aug. 3
Next: TBA

3. Terri Harper  

  Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 15-2-2, 6 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Rhiannon Dixon, Sept. 28
Next: TBA

4. Rhiannon Dixon  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 10-0, 1 KO
Last: W (UD10) Karen Elizabeth Carabajal, April 13
Next: Sept. 28 vs. Terri Harper

5. Beatriz Fereira  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 5-0, 2 KO
Last: W (TUD6) Yanina del Carmen Lescano, April 27
Next: TBA

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT (Up to 130 pounds)

1. Alycia Baumgardner  

  Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 15-1, 1 NC, 19 KOs
Last: No contest (NC4) Delfine Persoon, Sept. 27
Next: TBA

2. Delfine Persoon  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 49-3, 19 KOs
Last: No contest (NC4) Alycia Baumgardner, Sept. 27
Next: TBA

3. Bo Mi Re Shin  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 16-2-3, 9 KOs
Last: W (TKO3) Pattarawan Thaosuwan, Oct. 8
Next: TBA

4. Leila Beaudoin  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 12-1, 1 KO
Last: W (UD10) Lizbeth Crespo, Aug. 17
Next: Nov. 7 vs. Edith Soledad Matthysse

5. Christina Linardatou  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 14-3, 6 KOs
Last: L (UD10) Alycia Baumgardner, July 15
Next: TBA

FEATHERWEIGHT (Up to 126 pounds)

1. Amanda Serrano  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 47-2-1, 31 KOs
Last: W (TKO2) Stevie Morgan, July 20
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Katie Taylor

2. Skye Nicolson  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 12-0, 1 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Raven Chapman, Oct. 12
Next: TBA

3. Nina Meinke  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 19-3, 4 KOs
Last: W (MD10) Daniela Romina Bermudez, Sept. 21
Next: TBA

4. Sarah Mahfoud  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 14-2, 3 KOs
Last: L (UD10) Skye Nicolson, April 6
Next: Oct. 12 vs. Danila Ramos

5. Daniela Romina Bermudez  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 32-5-3, 12 KOs
Last: L (MD10) Nina Meinke, Sept. 21
Next: TBA

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT (Up to 122 pounds)

1. Yamileth Mercado  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 24-3, 5 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Ramla Ali, June 29
Next: TBA

2. Ellie Scotney  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 9-0, 0 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Segolene Lefebvre, April 13
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Mea Motu

3. Erika Cruz  

  Previous ranking: No 3

Record: 17-2-1, 3 KOs
Last: Draw (SD10) Nazarena Romero, May 11
Next: TBA

4. Mea Motu  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 19-0, 7 KOs
Last: W (TKO2) Noppaket Srisawas, April 26
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Ellie Scotney

5. Phannarai Netisri  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 15-0, 6 KO
Last: W (UD10) Maria Magdalena Rivera, April 13
Next: Oct. 3 vs. Shannon O’Connell

BANTAMWEIGHT (Up to 118 pounds)

1. Dina Thorslund  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 22-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Seren Cetin, May 25
Next: Oct. 25 vs. Terumi Nuki

2. Diana Laura Fernandez  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 32-4-1, 5 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Sayda Mosquera, June 7
Next: TBA

3. Cherneka Johnson  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 16-2, 6 KOs
Last: W (MD10) Nina Hughes, May 11
Next: TBA

4. Yuliahn Luna Avila  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 27-4-1, 4 KOs
Last: W (UD8) Elizabeth Chavez Espinoza, July 13
Next: TBA

5. Miyo Yoshida  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 17-4, 0 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Ebanie Bridges, Dec. 9
Next: Oct. 23 vs. Shurretta Metcalf

JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT (Up to 115 pounds)

1. Carla Ayelen Merino  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 14-2, 2 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Micaela Milagros Lujan, April 27
Next: TBA

2. Asley Gonzalez Macias  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 16-2, 7 KOs
Last: W (SD10) Lourdes Juarez, March 25
Next: TBA

3. Irma Garcia  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 23-5-1, 4 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Stephanie Silva, Nov. 11
Next: TBA

4. Mizuki Hiruta  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 6-0, 2 KOs
Last: W (TKO6) Ji Hyun Park, Jan. 12
Next: TBA

5. Clara Lescurat  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 11-0, 4 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Linn Sandstrom, April 24
Next: TBA

FLYWEIGHT (Up to 112 pounds)

1. Gabriela Celeste Alaniz  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 15-1, 6 KOs
Last: W (SD10) Marlen Esparza, April 27
Next: TBA

2. Gabriela Fundora  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 14-0, 6 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Daniela Asenjo, Aug. 10
Next: TBA

3. Kenia Enriquez  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 28-1, 11 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Maria Salinas, Feb. 2
Next: TBA

4. Marlen Esparza  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 14-2, 1 KO
Last: L (MD10) Gabriela Celeste Alaniz, April 27
Next: TBA

5. Arely Mucino  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 32-4-2, 11 KOs
Last: L (KO5) Gabriela Fundora, Oct. 21
Next: TBA

JUNIOR FLYWEIGHT (Up to 108 pounds)

1. Jessica Nery Plata  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 30-2, 3 KOs
Last: W (SD10) Sarah Bormann, Dec. 16
Next: TBA

2. Evelin Bermudez  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 20-1-1, 7 KOs
Last: W (TKO8) Jessica Basulto Salazar, May 4
Next: TBA

3. Yesica Yolanda Bopp  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 39-3, 17 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Roxana Maria Colmenarez, Dec. 16
Next: TBA

4. Kim Clavel  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 19-2, 3 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Katherine Renee Lindenmuth, May 16
Next: Nov. 14 vs. TBA

5. Aldana Florencia Lopez  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 11-0, 0 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Veronica Ruiz, Aug. 31
Next: TBA

STRAWWEIGHT (Up to 105 pounds)

1. Seniesa Estrada  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 26-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Yokasta Valle, March 29
Next: TBA

2. Yokasta Valle  

  Previous ranking: No. 2

Record: 31-3, 10 KOs
Last: W (TKO2) Ramandeep Kaur, July 20
Next: TBA

3. Sarah Bormann  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 18-1, 7 KO
Last: W (UD10) Tamara Elisabet Demarco, May 4
Next: TBA

4. Louisa Hawton  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 12-2, 6 KO
Last: W (UD10) Viviana Ruiz Corredor, Sept. 7
Next: TBA

5. Tenkai Tsunami  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 32-13-1, 19 KO
Last: W (UD10) Siriporn Taweesuk, June 10
Next: TBA

ATOMWEIGHT (Up to 102 pounds)

1. Eri Matsuda  

  Previous ranking: No. 1

Record: 7-1-1, 1 KO
Last: W (SD10) Yuko Kuroki, Jan. 12
Next: TBA

2. Tina Rupprecht  

  Previous ranking: No 2

Record: 13-1-1, 3 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Fabiana Bytyqi, Jan. 13
Next: TBA

3. Anabel Ortiz  

  Previous ranking: No. 3

Record: 34-6, 4 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Montserrat Alarcon, Aug. 31
Next: TBA

4. Sumire Yamanaka  

  Previous ranking: No. 4

Record: 8-0, 3 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Mika Iwakawa, Jan. 12
Next: TBA

5. Montserrat Alarcon  

  Previous ranking: No. 5

Record: 19-6-2, 0 KOs
Last: L (UD8) Anabel Ortiz, Aug. 31
Next: TBA

Source: espn.com