Women’s boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Who stacks up with Claressa Shields?

Boxing

Claressa Shields calls herself the boxing GWOAT (Greatest Woman Of All Time), and it’s hard to argue against her. Shields has won world titles in three different divisions and is the current undisputed middleweight world champion. She also has won two Olympic gold medals and is unbeaten as a professional.

Her closest GWOAT competition is Laila Ali, who has been retired for over 13 years, and Cecilia Braekhus, who after reigning as the unified welterweight champion for six years, lost a majority decision to Jessica McCaskill last Saturday in a big upset.

Amanda Serrano has won titles in seven different weight classes, and Katie Taylor is a two-weight world titlist and the current undisputed lightweight champion of the world. And she also has an Olympic gold medal on her résumé.

Women’s boxing is bigger than ever, and there’s a case to make for a lot of the current top fighters.

So, who else is in ESPN.com’s first women pound-for-pound rankings?

Our ESPN panel voted and here’s the list.

Note: Results are through Thursday, Aug, 20.

1. CLARESSA SHIELDS  

RECORD: 10-0, 2 KOs
DIVISION: Middleweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD10) Ivana Habazin, Jan. 10
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


2. KATIE TAYLOR  

RECORD: 15-0, 6 KOs
DIVISION: Lightweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD10) Christina Linardatou, Nov. 2
NEXT FIGHT: Aug. 22 vs. Delfine Persoon


3. AMANDA SERRANO  

RECORD: 38-1-1, 28 KOs
DIVISION: Featherweight (titlist)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO3) Simone Aparecida Da Silva, Jan. 30
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


4. JESSICA MCCASKILL  

RECORD: 9-2, 3 KOs
DIVISION: Featherweight (titlist)
LAST FIGHT: W (MD10) Cecilia Braekhus, Aug. 15
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


5. CECILIA BRAEKHUS  

RECORD: 36-1, 9 KOs
DIVISION: Welterweight
LAST FIGHT: L (MD10) Jessica McCaskill, Aug. 15
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


6. DELFINE PERSOON  

RECORD: 44-2, 18 KOs
DIVISION: Lightweight
LAST FIGHT: W (UD10) Helen Joseph, Nov. 11
NEXT FIGHT: Aug. 22 vs. Katie Taylor


7. CHRISTINA HAMMER  

RECORD: 25-1, 11 KOs
DIVISION: Middleweight
LAST FIGHT: W (UD8) Florence Muthoni, Feb. 8
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


8. DANIELA BERMUDEZ  

RECORD: 28-3-3, 9 KOs
DIVISION: Bantamweight (titlist)
LAST FIGHT: W (KO9) Alys Sanchez, Feb. 28
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


9. YESICA BOPP  

RECORD: 36-1, 16 KOs
DIVISION: Junior flyweight (titlist)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD10) Gabriela Sanchez Saavedra, June 15, 2019
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


T-10. MARIANA JUAREZ  

RECORD: 54-9-4, 18 KOs
DIVISION: Bantamweight (titlist)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD10) Carolina Raquel Duer, Oct. 12
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


T-10. LAYLA MCCARTER  

RECORD: 43-13-5, 11 KOs
DIVISION: Welterweight
LAST FIGHT: W (UD10) Yamila Esther Reynoso, Jan. 17, 2019
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


The formula

The rankings are based on a descending points system, with a first-place vote receiving 10 points, a second-place vote receiving nine points and so on.

Others receiving votes: Seniesa Estrada (7), Mikaela Mayer (6), Terri Harper (5), Marcela Acuna (4), Hyun Choi (2), Hanna Gabriel (2), Kenia Enriquez (1)


How our writers voted

Timothy Bradley Jr.: 1. Shields, 2. Taylor, 3. Serrano, 4. Hammer, 5. Braekhus, 6. Mayer, 7. Estrada, 8. Harper, 9. Persoon, 10. McCaskill

Nick Parkinson: 1. Taylor, 2. Shields, 3. Serrano, 4. McCaskill, 5. Braekhus, 6. Persoon, 7. Acuna, 8. Juarez, 9. Bopp, 10. Harper

Salvador Rodriguez: 1. Taylor, 2. Shields, 3. McCaskill, 4. Braekhus, 5. Persoon, 6. Serrano, 7. Juarez, 8. Bermudez, 9. Bopp, 10. Harper

Bernardo Pilatti: 1. Shields, 2. Taylor, 3. McCarter, 4. Serrano, 5. McCaskill, 6. Hammer, 7. Persoon, 8. Braekhus, 9. Bermudez, 10. Enriquez

Charlie Moynihan: 1. Shields, 2. Taylor, 3. Serrano, 4. Bermudez, 5. McCaskill, 6. Hammer, 7. Braekhus, 8. Persoon, 9. Choi, 10. Juarez

Kel Dansby: 1. Shields, 2. Taylor, 3. McCaskill, 4. Serrano, 5. Braekhus, 6. Bopp, 7. Persoon, 8. Estrada, 9. Gabriel, 10. Mayer


ESPN experts’ poll

First place: Shields (4), Taylor (2)

Second place: Taylor (4), Shields (2)

Third place: Serrano (3), McCaskill (2), McCarter (1)

Fourth place: Serrano (2), McCaskill (1), Braekhus (1), Bermudez (1), Hammer (1)

Fifth place: Braekhus (3), McCaskill (2), Persoon (1)

Sixth place: Hammer (2), Serrano (1), Persoon (1), Bopp (1), Mayer (1)

Seventh place: Persoon (2), Braekhus (1), Estrada (1), Juarez (1), Acuna (1)

Eighth place: Braekhus (1), Persoon (1), Bermudez (1), Estrada (1), Harper (1), Juarez (1)

Ninth place: Bopp (2), Persoon (1), Bermudez (1), Choi (1), Gabriel (1)

10th place: Harper (2), McCaskill (1), Mayer (1), Juarez (1), Enriquez (1)

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