
Boxing
The Top 10: A Ranking of the Greatest Female Boxers
This article ranks and analyses the top 10 greatest female boxers of all time, featuring modern day icons like Claressa Shields, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

Jake Paul Vs. Mike Tyson//Getty Images
It's incredible to think that back in the 90s, women's boxing was almost non-existent and by far below the popularity that it's got today.
Over the past few decades, female fighters have shattered barriers, delivered legendary performances, and cemented their place in boxing history. And as a result, this has naturally increased female boxing's popularity.
Boxers such as Claressa Shields, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, have picked up the flag that past legends such as Christy Martin and Laila Ali once waved. Now, women's boxing is firmly on the map.
In this article, we will rank and analyse the top ten greatest female boxers of all time.
In 2023, Claressa Shields became the first woman to ever claim the best boxer ESPY award.
Methodology
The rankings are based on a balanced mix of measurable and qualitative factors:
Career Record (40%): Total wins, losses, and knockouts.
Achievements (30%): Major titles, world championships, and Olympic medals.
Impact and Legacy (20%): Influence on women’s boxing and historical significance.
Crossover Success (10%): Contributions outside boxing, including influence in other sports or public life.
Sources Used:
- ESPN: Data on records, titles, and accomplishments.
- Sporting News: Insights on historical impact and key moments.
Critical Consensus: Ranking the Best Female Boxers
The Critical Consensus Table includes ranking information from ESPN and Sporting News, as well as detailing each fighter's key accomplishments.
Critical Consensus Table
Rank | Name | ESPN Rank | Sporting News Rank | Key Accomplishments |
1 | Claressa Shields | 1 | 3 | Two-time Olympic gold medalist; undisputed in multiple weight classes. |
2 | Katie Taylor | 2 | 1 | Undisputed lightweight champion; Olympic gold medalist. |
3 | Amanda Serrano | 3 | 2 | Seven-division world champion; 31 KOs. |
4 | Cecilia Braekhus | 4 | 4 | First undisputed welterweight champion; 25 title defenses. |
5 | Laila Ali | 5 | 8 | Undefeated with 24 wins; super middleweight champion; Hall of Fame inductee. |
6 | Christy Martin | 6 | 9 | Junior middleweight champion; Hall of Fame inductee; pivotal figure in women’s boxing. |
7 | Ann Wolfe | 8 | 7 | Three-division world champion; knockout of Vonda Ward is legendary. |
8 | Regina Halmich | 9 | 6 | Popularized women’s boxing in Europe; three-division world champion. |
9 | Lucia Rijker | NR | 5 | WIBF and WIBO champion; Hall of Fame inductee. |
10 | Holly Holm | 7 | 10 | Boxing champion in three divisions; transitioned successfully to MMA. |

SportsBoom MetaScale: Best Female Boxers
The SportsBoom MetaScale combines a fighter's career record, their achievements, their impact and legacy in the sport, as well as crossover success.
SportsBoom MetaScale Table
Rank | Name | Career Record (40%) | Achievements (30%) | Impact & Legacy (20%) | Crossover Success (10%) | MetaScale Score |
1 | Claressa Shields | 40 | 30 | 20 | 5 | 95 |
2 | Katie Taylor | 38 | 30 | 20 | 4 | 92 |
3 | Amanda Serrano | 38 | 28 | 18 | 5 | 89 |
4 | Cecilia Braekhus | 35 | 28 | 18 | 4 | 85 |
5 | Laila Ali | 36 | 25 | 18 | 4 | 83 |
6 | Christy Martin | 34 | 26 | 20 | 2 | 82 |
7 | Ann Wolfe | 33 | 24 | 20 | 2 | 79 |
8 | Regina Halmich | 34 | 25 | 18 | 2 | 79 |
9 | Lucia Rijker | 32 | 25 | 18 | 2 | 77 |
10 | Holly Holm | 30 | 22 | 15 | 10 | 77 |

Fighter Profiles of the Greatest Female Boxers
In this segment, we will provide the readers with fighter profiles for each of the greatest female boxers from the list above.
1. Claressa Shields

Claressa Shields//Getty Images
Claressa Shields stands at the top of this list because of her outstanding achievements in the sport as well her unbeaten boxing career. In just 15 pro boxing bouts, “The GWOAT” has done it all; she has held multiple world titles in five different weight classes. Additionally, Shields is one of only four boxers in history (male or female) to hold all four belts in two weight classes.
While the American has been criticised for her lack of stoppages, Shields has excellent fight IQ and boxing fundamentals which allows her to dominate her opponents on the scorecards.
2. Katie Taylor

Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano//Getty Images
For many, Katie Taylor is the best female boxer to ever live, which is understandable because of the impact she's had on the sport, particularly in the British Isles. Taylor has previously been the undisputed lightweight champion, and is currently the undisputed super-lightweight champion.
However, she has had her fair share of controversial fights in recent years (Delfine Persoon first fight and the first Amanda Serrano fight).
Nevertheless, there is no getting away from her exceptional counter-boxing skills. In her prime, the Irish fighter had lightning quick hands and footwork, which allowed her to spring in at awkward angles as well as pivoting off the ropes and out of corners. To add, Taylor has shown incredible toughness throughout her career.
3. Amanda Serrano
Although being third on this list, Amanda Serrano is arguably the most exciting female fighter to watch, having stopped 31 of her opponents in 47 pro wins. The Puerto Rican fighter has incredibly won at least one world title in seven separate divisions.
Despite her recent defeat to Katie Taylor up at super-lightweight, she is still the unified featherweight world champion.
Serrano is known for her tremendous front-foot style of boxing, where she piles the pressure on her opponents and mixes up combinations to the head and body. Plus, she carries power in both hands.
4. Cecilia Braekhus
Cecilia Braekhus is nicknamed “The First Lady of Boxing,” because she is the first woman to hold all four major world titles in a division at the same time. The Norwegian fighter dominated the welterweight division for over a decade, and even at 43 years of age, she still remains one of the most skilled technical boxers in the sport’s history.
In 41 pro fights, Braekhus has won 38 of those across three decades, demonstrating her incredible success and longevity in the sport.
5. Laila Ali
Laila Ali, daughter of the great Muhammad Ali, excelled in women's boxing during a time when it really wasn't that known to the wider public, not like what it is nowadays.
Ali fought between 1999 and 2007 where she achieved an undefeated record of 24-0, claiming 21 of those via stoppage. Throughout her illustrious career, she held the WBC, WIBA, IWBF and IBA female super middleweight titles, as well as the IWBF light heavyweight title.
6. Christy Martin
Christy Martin is another fighter from the past that makes this list. Martin began her career in 1989 and only retired in 2012, meaning she is one of very few boxers (male or female) to have fought in four different decades.
The American held her only world title in 2009, the WBC female super welterweight title. The reason why Christy Martin only won one world title throughout her career is because there was barely any titles available to women in boxing back in the 80s and 90s, due to the lack of popularity of women’s boxing. Nevertheless, she still accumulated a record of 49-7-3.
7. Ann Wolfe
Ann Wolfe held world titles in three different weight classes at the same time, and is regarded as one of the greatest female boxers of all time.
Wolfe was known for her ferocious punching power, racking up 16 KO's out of 24 of her wins. She is perhaps more famous for her devastating knockout of Vonda Ward, back in 2004, one of the most brutal in boxing history.
8. Regina Halmich
Regina Halmich is one of the most accomplished European female boxers of all time. She was a major star in her home country of Germany, and her success in the 90s and 2000s helped the growth of women's boxing in the region.
Halmich competed at light-flyweight, flyweight and super-flyweight, where she won the WIBF title in all three weight classes. Across her storied 56 pro fight-long career, she only ever lost once (and only drawing once).
9. Lucia Rijker
Lucia Rijker was nicknamed “Lady Tyson” for good reason, because she had destructive power in both hands. Debuting in 1996, the Dutch fighter would retire from the sport in 2004, boasting an undefeated record of 17-0 with 14 of those victories coming by way of knockout.
Before her boxing career began, Rijker was a kickboxer, where she was also undefeated, racking up 37 wins and one draw, and 25 KO wins.
It's safe to say: if Rijker was involved in combat sports in this generation, she'd likely be a star in women's sports.
10. Holly Holm
Many people don't know that Holly Holm was an accomplished boxer before transitioning to MMA, where she famously knocked out Ronda Rousey to win the UFC bantamweight title.
Across her 11-year boxing career, the American won 33 of 38 bouts, losing just twice. During that time she was a dominant champion, holding 16 successful title defences across three different weight classes (welterweight, super-welterweight and middleweight).
SportsBoom Suggests
Claressa Shields leads the rankings due to her unmatched versatility, record-breaking accomplishments, and global influence on the sport. Katie Taylor comes in at a very close second on this list because of her similar accomplishments and impact on the sport.
Amanda Serrano remains a pivotal figure in modern boxing due to her decorated career and ongoing dominance. Plus, she is extremely enjoyable to watch because of her knockout power.
Laila Ali and Christy Martin rank at five and six respectively because they are pioneers in women’s boxing, and both tasted plenty of success in the 90s and early 2000s in the sport.
From the technical brilliance of Claressa Shields to the lasting legacy of Laila Ali, the sport of women’s boxing has been defined by exceptional athletes. This list honors their achievements, contributions, and influence in shaping the landscape of women’s boxing.

Jake Staniland is a sports writer who excels in covering a wide range of sports: football, combat sports and the NFL - All three subjects are his lifelong passions.
Jake is a boyhood Sheffield United fan, which is often a curse that he thanks his family for. His favourite Blades player ever is Billy Sharp