UPDATES
* The Lineal Boxing Champion monthly ratings are produced by an international panel of 10 boxing analysts. Boxers are ranked according to ability and accomplishments in their respective weight classes. When our ratings began in April 2019 (the first non-computerised monthly rankings to have ever been produced in women’s boxing), fighters who had been inactive for 12 months, with still no fights scheduled, were removed from the ratings. As the 2020-21 pandemic severely interfered with the boxing schedule for approximately one year, it seems only fair to lengthen our inactivity rule to 24 months. By the middle of 2022, the inactivity rule will once again return to 12 months.
FEBRUARY 2022
Flyweight
Marlen Esparza’s solid 10-round victory over Anabel Ortiz on December 18th, pushes her above Fujioka, to the top of our flyweight rankings. Fukioka drops to #2.
Junior Lightweight
With Terri Harper stating that her intentions are now to compete at lightweight, she exits our junior lightweight rankings, making way for Hyun Choi to enter at #5.
MARCH - APRIL 2022
Atomweight
Nanae Suzuki’s split decision victory over Mika Iwakawa enables her to move from #5 to #2, resulting in Iwakawa dropping a spot. Matsuda exits after her loss to Ayaka Miyao., while Miyao enters at #4 while Hanagata falls to #5.
Junior Flyweight
Veteran. Jessica Plata defeated the vastly experienced Yesica Bopp by split decision on March 11, sending her straight to #2 in our ratings, nudging Tenkai down to #3. Bermudez, who notched up her third consecutive KO on March 26, remains at #4, Gomez falls to #5, and Bopp exits.
Flyweight
Esparza is now the Lineal World Champion at flyweight following her 10-round decision win over Fujioka on April 9, in what was a “#1 vs #2” match-up at 112lbs. With Esparza now elevated to champion status, last month’s #2 - #5 each move up one place. Leonela Yudica enters at #5.
Bantamweight
Luna Avila returns to the #1 spot after defeating Mayeli Flores on April 2 – Flores was unbeaten and had KO’d Zulina Munoz in April 2019. Thorslund drops to #2. Australia’s Ebanie Bridges enters the bantamweight rankings at #3, following her unanimous decision victory over Maria Roman to win the IBF title. Mariana Juarez (who hasn’t won a bantamweight fight since October 2019) exits the rankings, and Roman falls from #3 to #5.
Junior featherweight
Mayerlin Rivas, #2 in our last ratimgs, exits due to inactivity – Mercado, Lefebvre and Romero each move up a place. Cherneka Jonhson, who won the vacnt IBF strap with a split decision over 12-2-1, Melissa Esquivel, on April 20, enters at #5.
Lightweight
Jonas exits as she now appears to be focusing on the junior middleweight division, having recently beaten Chris Namus for the WBO 154lbs belt on February 19 - Lescano subsequently moves up one place, and Terri Harper on the back of her March 12 win over Yamila Abellaneda, enters at #5.
Junior Middleweight
Natasha Jonas blasted out Chris Namus in two rounds on February 19 to win the vacant 154lbs WBO belt, entering our junior middleweight ranings at #4 – it should be noted that Namus had not fought for 16 months and took the bout with Jonas on just 10 days’ notice. Hallback drops to #5. Abril Vidal exits.
Middleweight
Cornejo rises to #4 following her 8-round unanimous decision over Simone Da Silva on March 25. Hermans, recently KO’d by Marshall falls to #5.
Heavyweight
Nadia Meknouzi exits due to inactivity, getting replaced by Oxandia Castillo, 19-3-3, who made her debut at heavyweight, outpointing Mery Rancier on March 19.
P4P
Fujioka and Braekhus exit the rankings. Marlen Esparza enters at #9 following her victory over Fujioka, and Savannah Marshall enters at #10 after her spectacular KO of Femke Hermans.
Ratings Panel
David Avila: 2019 Inductee IWBHF. Journalist at The Sweet Science. California, USA. @AvilaBoxing
Anthony Cocks: Journalist for Max Boxing, and previous contributions for Boxing Monthly. Australia. @el_pollo_loco
Daniel Yanofsky: Boxing journalist, including articles for FIGHT SPORTS and The Scrap. New York/Florida, USA. @DanYanofskyMMA
Ireneusz Fryszkowski: Boxing Journalist. Poland. @RingBlogpl
Julian Haramoure: Boxing journalist, including articles for Argentina Amateur Deporte and ElRoundFinal.com. Argentina. @JulianFunky
Yuriko Miyata: Boxing journalist, including articles for The Ring and ThePrizeFighters.com. Japan. @Yuriyuri0803
GM Ross: Boxing journalist. Host of Pugilistically Inclined podcast. Canada. @punchingprof
Blanca Gutierrez: Creator of Beautiful Brawlers. 2019 Inductee IWBHF. 2018 Inductee WCBHOF. USA. @bbrawlersboxing
Inaky Arzate: Boxing journalist, including articles for TUDN. Mexico. @inaky_arzate
Adam McMeeking: Member of the International Boxing Research Organisation, and Editor of LinealBoxingChampion.com. United Kingdom. @LinealBoxChamp