10. Seniesa Estrada (USA)
Throughout her career, Estrada won major championships in three weight classes: light flyweight, flyweight, and minimumweight.
She won the WBA female minimumweight title in March 2021, followed by the WBC and Ring titles in 2023, and unified the IBF and WBO minimumweight titles in 2024, becoming the undisputed female minimumweight world champion.
Her last fight was a unanimous decision victory in March 2024 against Yokasta Valle, where she captured the IBF and WBO belts, completing her unification.
Seniesa Estrada also holds the women’s boxing record for the fastest knockout, stopping Miranda Adkins in just seven seconds in 2020, which is one of the most notable highlights of her career.
She was known for her speed, tactical skill, and power, with a knockout rate of about 34%.
Estrada retired at the age of 32 after 23 years dedicated to boxing, leaving a lasting impact on women’s boxing by demonstrating dominance across multiple divisions and inspiring many through her relentless fighting style and comprehensive skill set.
9. Regina Halmich
Regina Halmich is widely regarded as one of the most successful female boxers in history, credited with popularizing women’s boxing in Europe and holding the WIBF world championship in Jr. Flyweight, Flyweight, Jr. Bantamweight, Bantamweight, and Featherweight divisions.
She debuted professionally in 1994 and retired in 2007, compiling a remarkable 54–1–1 record from 56 bouts, including 16 knockouts.
Halmich held the Flyweight title for over a decade, earning global recognition and multiple Hall of Fame honors.
Beyond boxing, she is a successful entrepreneur with her own cosmetic line, setting a precedent for female athletes in business.
8. Cecilia Brækhus
Cecilia Brækhus, originally from Norway, dominated women’s boxing from 2014 to 2020 as the undisputed welterweight champion, making history by holding the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles simultaneously, making her the first woman to achieve this feat in any weight class.
With the addition of the IBO title in 2016, she became the only boxer, male or female, to hold five world championships at once.
Brækhus’s record includes 39 wins, two losses, and one draw, with 25 successful title defenses, matching Joe Louis’s historic streak.
Recognized by the Boxing Writers Association of America as their inaugural Female Fighter of the Year in 2017 and honored with three Guinness World Records in 2018, Brækhus remains a trailblazer who redefined excellence in women’s boxing.
7. Ann Wolfe
Ann Wolfe is widely celebrated as one of the greatest fighters in women’s boxing history, having held world titles across three weight classes: super middleweight, middleweight, and light heavyweight.
As an amateur, she compiled a 3–1 record at the 1998 US National Championships. In her professional career, Wolfe finished with an outstanding 24–1 (16 KOs) record from 26 fights, with her only loss coming by knockout in the third round against Valerie Mahfood.
Renowned for her power and skill, Wolfe retired as a multi-division champion and was inducted into the Women’s International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015. After retiring, she transitioned into coaching, continuing to influence the sport as a respected trainer.
6. Christy Martin
Christy Martin, known as “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” launched her boxing career by winning three consecutive titles in “Toughwoman” contests, establishing herself as a pioneer in women’s boxing.
Trained initially by Charlie Sensabaugh in Daniels, West Virginia, she began her professional journey at age 21 in 1989 under coach Jim Martin, whom she later married in 1991.
Over her career, Martin amassed a remarkable record of 49 wins (31 by knockout), 7 losses, and 3 draws, making her one of the most accomplished female boxers in history.
She became the first woman inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame in 2016, cementing her legacy as a trailblazer for women in the sport. Today, she continues to influence boxing as CEO of Christy Martin Promotions.
5. Laila Ali
Laila Amaria Ali, daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, began her professional boxing career in 1999 at age 21, quickly gaining global attention as the sport’s first major male-female bout featured her debut.
Over her undefeated career, she fought 24 times, winning all matches with 21 knockouts, and claimed multiple world titles, including the WBC, WIBA, IWBF, and IBA female super middleweight and light heavyweight championships.
Ali retired in 2007 as one of the greatest female boxers in history, renowned for her power, skill, and legacy.
After boxing, she transitioned into television, wellness, and entrepreneurship, establishing herself as a prominent media personality and lifestyle brand CEO.
4. Lucia Rijker
Lucia Rijker, a Dutch athlete of Surinamese descent, began her career in martial arts, judo, and softball before transitioning to professional boxing and kickboxing at age 16.
In kickboxing, she compiled an undefeated record of 36–0 (25 KOs), winning four world titles and earning the nickname “The Most Dangerous Woman in the World”.
Rijker then turned to boxing, winning all 17 of her professional bouts with 14 knockouts and capturing the WIBF and WIBO world junior welterweight titles.
After a brief hiatus to pursue acting, she returned to the ring, further solidifying her legacy as a dominant force in women’s combat sports.
Rijker was inducted into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014 and became one of the first three female boxers honored in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020, marking her as a trailblazer in both boxing and kickboxing.
3. Amanda Serrano
Amanda Serrano, known as “The Real Deal,” is Boxing 360’s first world champion and holds the Guinness World Record for most boxing world championships won across different weight classes by a female, capturing nine major world titles in seven divisions.
She is the only woman to win world titles in more than four weight classes and became the first undisputed featherweight champion in the four-belt era, further solidifying her legacy as a trailblazer in women’s boxing.
Serrano has been named Female Boxer of the Year by the WBO in 2016 and 2018 and is ranked among the best active female boxers by The Ring, ESPN, and BoxRec.
Beyond boxing, she is also a professional wrestler, training and competing in the sport, showcasing her versatility and commitment to athletic excellence.
2. Katie Taylor
Katie Taylor, widely known as “The Bray Bomber,” is the current undisputed lightweight champion, holding the WBA, IBF, WBC, WBO, and The Ring titles since 2017–2019, and the WBO junior welterweight title since 2019.
She is one of only eight boxers in history (male or female) to simultaneously hold all four major world titles, cementing her status as a pioneer in women’s boxing.
Renowned for her aggressive style, speed, and power, Taylor is frequently compared to elite male boxers and is considered the pound-for-pound best active female by both The Ring and BoxRec.
Her amateur career was equally dominant, with five World Championship golds, six European Championship golds, and five European Union Championship golds.
Taylor’s legacy is defined by her relentless competitiveness and her role in elevating women’s boxing globally.
1. Claressa Shields (USA)
Claressa Shields, born March 17, 1995, is widely regarded as one of the greatest female boxers in history and the first American boxer to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals, claiming titles at the 2012 and 2016 Games.
Her amateur career featured an impressive 77 wins and only one loss, establishing her as a prodigy before turning professional in 2016.
Shields rapidly ascended the professional ranks, capturing major world championships across five weight classes: middleweight, light middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight, and becoming the only boxer, male or female, to hold all four major titles (WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO) in three divisions during the four-belt era.
She is also the first boxer to be an undisputed champion in two weight classes and has been honored with the Val Barker Trophy and multiple Fighter of the Year awards, solidifying her legacy as a transformative figure in boxing.
She holds the record for becoming a two, three, four, and five-division world champion in the fewest professional fights.
Among her professional accomplishments, she was the undisputed female middleweight champion twice and currently holds the undisputed female heavyweight title.
Shields is celebrated for blending power, speed, and technical skill with a high fight IQ, which has helped her dominate opponents.
As of 2025, Shields is ranked as the world’s best active female boxer, pound-for-pound, by ESPN and The Ring magazine.