The Ring’s historic decision to initiate a divisional women’s ranking (one of the few independent women’s rankings in the world today, and probably the only one updated weekly by an international panel) coincided with the less-than-ideal scenario of a global pandemic engulfing the planet and bringing most of the sport action to a screeching halt.

Normally, our regular (male) Ring ratings would replace any fighter in our top 10 after one year of inactivity. But COVID-19 forced us to recalibrate that deadline to accommodate the many cancellations, postponements or other problems caused by the pandemic.

With most of the activity already being restored worldwide, it is time for some serious housekeeping.

A number of fighters who were either completely inactive for more than 18 months or just inactive at the weight we had them ranked in during the same period of time were dropped from the rankings. Among them, we can list Alicia Napoleon Espinosa, Tayla Harris, Tori Nelson, Mikaela Lauren, Patricia Berghult, Christina Linardatou, Mayerlin Rivas, Esmeralda Moreno, Kenia Enriquez and Nao Ikeyama. Some of them may have announced their retirements unofficially, and some others may have fights lined up for the immediate future, but for now they are out, and they will receive consideration for reentry once they fight again.

Among those who were brought into the rankings (or returned to it, whatever the case) we can list Shadasia Green, Femke Hermans, Alma Ibarra, Hannah Rankin, Cintia Lozano, Aidyl Cardenas, Anahí Sanchez, Mariana Juárez, Jenifer Han, Jesica Nery Plata, Miyo Yoshida, Tania Enriquez and Yenifer León.

A few fighters were benefited with certain exceptions. Sarah Mahfoud and Mary McGee had their recently scheduled fights canceled due to health concerns (COVID and injury, respectively) but they are considered active fighters. Maiva Hamadouche lost in the Tokyo Olympics but we do not consider Olympic-style boxing as part of our ranking considerations. And Czech-Kosovar minimumweight star Fabiana Bytyqui has not fought at that weight for more than 18 months but will return to that weight soon.

On the other hand, Chantelle Cameron was dropped from the 135-pound ranking after more than 18 months without a fight at that weight, remains the No. 1 fighter at 140 pounds.

Two fighters (Ava Knight and Daniela Bermudez) are known to be pregnant, and since the recovery process will likely take more than 12 months, they are taken off the rankings until they return to the ring at a later date. The Ring’s Women’s Ratings panel plans to release a more comprehensive “pregnancy clause” later in the year designed to give pregnant fighters a more benevolent treatment to this special moment in their lives, without affecting their standing in the world of boxing but also without affecting the chances of other fellow fighters to make progress in the rankings.

After an arduous revision procedure and a panel-wide vote, here is the new ranking in the 15 divisions classified by The Ring:

168 pounds (super middleweight)  

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Elin Cederroos

2 – Franchon Crews-Dezurn

3 – Ema Kozin

4 – Christina Hammer

5 – Shadasia Green

160 pounds (middleweight)  

The Ring Champion: Claressa Shields

1 – Savannah Marshall

2 – Christina Hammer

3 — Ema Kozin

4 – Femke Hermans

5 – Alma Ibarra

154 pounds (junior middleweight) 

The Ring Champion: Claressa Shields

1 –  Marie Eve Dicaire

2 –  Chris Namus

3 –  Hannah Rankin

4 –  Cintia Lozano

5 –  Aidyl Cardenas

147 pounds (welterweight)  

The Ring Champion: Jessica McCaskill

1 – Cecilia Braekhus 

2 – Layla McCarter 

3 – Ornella Domini 

4 – Victoria Bustos 

5 – Lolita Muzeya

140 pounds (junior welterweight)  

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Chantelle Cameron

2 – Mary McGee

3 – Erica Farías 

4 – Kali Reis 

5 – Anahi Sanchez 

135 pounds (lightweight)  

The Ring Champion: Katie Taylor

1 – Delfine Persoon 

2 – Estelle Mossely 

3 – Miriam Gutiérrez 

4 – Natasha Jonas 

5 – Jenifer Han 

130 pounds (junior lightweight) 

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Mikaela Mayer 

2 – Terri Harper 

3 – Maiva Hamadouche 

4 – Hyun Mi Choi

5 – Ewa Brodnicka

126 pounds (featherweight) 

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Amanda Serrano

2 – Sarah Mahfoud

3 – Erika Cruz-Hernandez

4 – Jelena Mrdjenovich

5 – Nina Meinke

122 pounds (junior featherweight) 

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Jackie Nava

2 – Dina Thorslund

3 –Yamileth Mercado

4 –Segolene Lefebvre

5 – Mariana Juarez

118 pounds (bantamweight) 

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Zulina Muñoz

2 –  Yulihan Luna Avila 

3 – Mariana Juarez 

4 – Maria Cecilia Roman 

5 –Dina Thorslund

115 pounds (junior bantamweight) 

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Lourdes Juarez

2 – Guadalupe Martinez

3 – Jessica Chavez

4 – Diana Fernandez

5 – Miyo Yoshida

112 pounds (flyweight)  

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Naoko Fujioka

2 – Arely Mucino 

3 – Marlen Esparza 

4 – Ibeth Zamora 

5 – Jesica Nery Plata

108 pounds (junior flyweight) 

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Seniesa Estrada

2 – Tsunami Tenkai 

3 – Evelyn Bermudez 

4 – Kim Clavel 

5 – Tania Enriquez 

105 pounds (strawweight) 

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Seniesa Estrada 

2 – Christina Rupprecht 

3 – Yokasta Valle 

4 – Anabel Ortiz

5 – Etsuko Tada

102 pounds (atomweight) 

The Ring Champion: VACANT

1 – Monserrat Alarcón

2 – Fabiana Bytyqi

3 – Mika Iwakawa

4 –  Eri Matsuda

5 – Yenifer Leon

The Ring’s Women’s Ratings Panel: Mark Jones, Thomas Gerbasi, Malissa Smith, Michael Montero, Lupi Gutierrez-Beagle (USA), Wildalys Figueras-Snow (Puerto Rico), Yesica Palmetta (Argentina), Irene Deserti (Mexico-Argentina), Yuriko Miyata (Japan), Diego Morilla (moderator, Argentina), Doug Fischer (editor, The Ring, USA).

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