Historically, boxing was seen as a highly male-dominated sport. Nevertheless, a few women have managed to break these stereotypes and make a name for themselves in the boxing world.
The first female boxer in history, Elizabeth Wilkinson, provided a legacy and a platform for other female boxers. She competed at a time when the sport was strongly biased against women and often characterized by brutality, rage, and retaliation.
Today, female boxers have embraced the sport and cemented their names in history by achieving incredible feats. There have been many great female boxers throughout history, but in this article, we'll look at the top 10 of all time. From unbeaten contenders to world champions, these women have left an indelible mark on boxing and served as role models for their peers.
Although the status and visibility of female boxing have risen dramatically in recent years, the sport has a rich history of exceptional athletes who paved the way for today's superstars. Female boxing has been documented as far back as the 18th century, but it was considered illegal by sports commissioners for decades because they refused to sanction or license professional female fights. The first-ever sanctioned female boxing match took place in the United Kingdom in 1998, and in 2012, women's boxing made its Olympic debut in London.
Today, we can see the extraordinary achievements of female athletes like the 2012 Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields, the only boxer—male or female—to hold all four major world titles simultaneously in two weight classes. Another standout athlete, the unbeaten Katie Taylor, has won five consecutive gold medals at the Women's World Championships, six titles at the European Championships, and five titles at the European Union Championships. These achievements showcase the incredible talent and dedication of female boxers.
Although women's boxing has been around for a while, many of its top competitors in the past lacked challenging opponents to create thrilling fights. However, this is no longer the case. Women's boxing has seen success in both the lighter weight classes and the heavyweight classes.
Claressa Shields is the undisputed champion at middleweight, having previously unified the light-middleweight and super-middleweight divisions. She has won two consecutive Olympic gold medals (in 2012 and 2016) and is the quickest boxer to win world titles at two and three different weight classes in professional competitions.
Lucia Rijker, one of the most well-known female fighters in history, competed at light welterweight and won a number of world championships. She was once known as the "world's most dangerous lady." The former kickboxing champion is one of only three women to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. She retired from boxing with a perfect 17-0 record and 14 knockouts to her name.
Until her retirement in 2006, Ann Wolfe was widely considered the most powerful female fighter in the sport. She won 16 of her 26 bouts via knockout.
Laila Ali is the daughter of the greatest heavyweight boxer in history, Muhammad Ali. This American fighter, however, made her own name in women's boxing, going undefeated throughout her entire professional career and winning world championships in two different weight classes. After winning the IBA light-heavyweight championship in 2004, the American woman emulated the extraordinary achievement of the great Henry Armstrong by holding three world titles in three different weight classes simultaneously.
The modern legend and trailblazer in women's boxing, Katie Taylor, enjoyed a stellar career as a female prizefighter in both the amateur and professional ranks. She had a remarkable amateur career, winning five world titles and an Olympic gold medal before turning pro and becoming the undisputed lightweight queen.
Cecilia Braekhus, also known as "The First Lady," has been the undisputed welterweight champion since 2014. To put it simply, she is one of the best in the world today. The Norwegian was the first female fighter in any division to win Female Fighter of the Year from the Boxing Writers Association of America and the first woman to hold all the alphabet titles at once.
Amanda Serrano of Puerto Rico is the first woman to win world titles in more than four weight classes, having won a total of nine belts across seven categories. The talented southpaw is known by her nickname, "Real Deal," and she has been named Women's Fighter of the Year by WBN twice.
Regina Halmich, one of the greatest female boxers of all time, played a pivotal role in expanding the sport for women across Europe. The famous German boxer was the undisputed champion of the flyweight, super-flyweight, and light-flyweight divisions before she retired in 2007. In 56 fights, she had only suffered one defeat.
Christy Martin, who fought for 23 years and was a trailblazer in the sport of women's boxing, was the first woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. One of the sport's most recognizable fighters, "The Coal Miner's Daughter," fought until 2012, when she finally decided to hang up her gloves.
Mia St. John, nicknamed "The Knockout," had a lengthy career in which she won multiple titles in both the lightweight and light-middleweight weight classes. This Mexican-American boxer competed in 65 bouts across five weight divisions between 1997 and 2016.
