The Lineal Junior Welterweight World Champion: Jessica McCaskill

On Saturday night (October 12th, 2019), #1 rated women's Junior Welterweight, Jessica McCaskill defeated the division's #2 fighter, Erica Farias to win the vacant Lineal Championship at 140lbs.

140lbs World Champion: Jessica McCaskill

140lbs World Champion: Jessica McCaskill

The top two fighters squaring off - traditionally in boxing, this is how true World Champions are crowned.

Earlier this year, McCaskill defeated #3 rated Anahi Sanchez. Last year she defeated Farias for the first time, when the Argentine was the clear #1.

Of course, the sanctioning bodies now pedal the idea that a fighter needs to win four ABC belts to become "undisputed" champion. Right now that would mean McCaskill would need to beat WBO belt holder, Christina Linardatou, who is is at #5 in our 140lbs top 5 - she is #6 with BoxRec (Katie Taylor has never fought at 140lbs before but is scheduled to fight Linardatou next month). Is there currently an IBF belt holder? BoxRec lists that title as vacant and nobody is listed as the holder on the IBF's website either. The "interim" IBF title holder is Victoria Bustos,who is #4 in our ratings.
Bustos has had just three fights at 140lbs in the last 4 years, one of which was a loss to Farias in 2016.

Chasing fights with the 4th and 5th rated fighters in a division should not be how you fill a World Championship vacancy.

McCaskill is the best at 140lbs, and she has beaten the best in this weight class. Give her the recognition she deserves. McCaskill is The Lineal Junior Welterweight World Champion.

Women's Monthlly Ratings: October 6th, 2019

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October 2019 Ratings - Updates

Featherweight: Amanda Serrano enters at #1 after her emphatic 10 round decision over previous #1, Heather Hardy. Erika Hernandez, #5 last month, exits. Hardy drops to #3, and Jelena Mrdjenovich stays at #2. Last month’s #3 and #4 each drop one place.

Junior Lightweight: Ewa Brodnicka defeated Edith Matthsse, but struggled, winning by split decision, so drops to #5, switching places with Eva Wahlstrom.

Super Middleweight: Ema Kozin enters at #5 after a narrow points win over Maria Lindberg. Elin Cederroos exits.

Heavyweight: Last month’s #2, Geovana Peres, defeated #1 Claire Hafner, by 8th round TKO to become our inaugural Champion. Annie Mazerolle enters at #5.

Pound-For-Pound: Our overall Pound-for-Pound top 10 is now worked out by allocating points to each panelist’s top 10, and totaling the figures – so, 10 points for each panelist’s #1, 9 points for #2...1 point for #10. Under this new approach, Bopp has risen to #7. Bermudez and Juarez have each dropped a place.

P4P Summary1 Claressa Shields - In just 9 fights Michigan’s “T-Rex” Shields has proved she is willing to face all rivals between 160-168lbs. In 2018 she defeated the experienced Tori Nelson at Super Middleweight, and then triumphed in an exciting bo…

P4P Summary

1 Claressa Shields - In just 9 fights Michigan’s “T-Rex” Shields has proved she is willing to face all rivals between 160-168lbs. In 2018 she defeated the experienced Tori Nelson at Super Middleweight, and then triumphed in an exciting bout with Hanna Gabriels, but it was her emphatic victory over P4P #10 and #2 rated Middleweight, Christina Hammer, in April 2019, that crowned her our first female Lineal World Champion. Shields has now set her sights on P4P #3, Cecilia Braekhus.

2 Amanda Serrano - While most boxers seem content outpointing their opposition, Serrano looks for the KO. In a 22 fight winning streak - that has seen her defeat solid opposition from as low as 114lbs, right up to Junior Welterweight – Amanda has stopped 18 women. Serrano has declared she is keen on fighting P4P #4 Katie Taylor. A victory over the talented, naturally bigger Taylor would move Serrano firmly to the top of the P4P rankings.

3 Katie Taylor - In March, the Irish super-star outclassed Brazil’s rugged, previously undefeated, Rose Volante, and then less than three months later, won a close decision at Madison Square Garden against Delfine Persoon to become the new Lineal Lightweight World Champion. A rematch with Delfine looks likely to be next.

4 Cecilia Braekhus - Cecilia made her professional debut in January 2007, and since then has been a consistent, dominating force at Welterweight. Her collection of sanctioning body belts has grown, but significant match-ups against the experienced Holly Holm and the unbeaten Tori Nelson, did not get made. A 147lbs clash with P4P veteran Layla McCarter for the vacant Lineal World Championship, or a catch-weight mega-fight with Claressa Shields would be the most formidable tests of her career.

5 Layla McCarter - In a career that has spanned over 20 years, Layla has demonstrated her prodigious skill-set and ring IQ, from Featherweight to Junior Middleweight. The American has been unbeaten for 12 years, and has frequently called out Welterweight rival, Cecilia Braekhus – frustratingly, due to boxing politics, this intriguing match-up still seems no closer to being made.

6 Delfine Persoon - Delfine, a full-time railway policewoman, used every ounce of her decade long professional career, to push the division’s star attraction, Katie Taylor, to the wire; in a terrific bout that many felt the Belgian was unfortunate to lose. As soon as the fight ended, the fans were demanding a rematch.

7 Yesica Yolanda Bopp - (Argentina) - Bopp, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the last woman to defeat Daniela Bermudez, and is our #1 rated Junior Flyweight. “La Tuti” has stopped her last three opponents, and at age 35, seems to be getting better.

8 Daniela Romina Bermudez - Since 2016 Bermudez has competed across three weight classes, including victories over #1 rated Bantamweight, Mariana Juarez, and #1 rated Junior Featherweight, Marcela Acuna. A rematch of her terrific 2016 battle with Juarez, would crown a new Lineal Bantamweight World Champion.

9 Mariana Juarez - Since her loss to Bermudez, Mariana’s record at Bantamweight has been outstanding, going 9-0 against quality opposition, earning her the #1 spot in our 118lbs rankings.

10 Kenia Enriquez - Another Mexican/Argentinean rivalry is brewing. Tijuana’s Enriquez, our #2 rated Junior Flyweight, seems destined to fight Yesica Bopp, the winner of which would become the division’s Lineal World Champion.

Ratings Panel

David Avila: 2019 Inductee IWBHF. Experienced journalist at The Sweet Science. California, USA. @AvilaBoxing

Suzy Smith: Women’s boxing historian. United Kingdom. @SuzyQSmith360

Daniel Yanofsky: Women’s boxing journalist. New York, USA. @DanYanofsky

Ireneusz Fryszkowski: Women’s Boxing Journalist. Poland. @RingBlogpl

Adam McMeeking: Editor of LinealBoxingChampion.com. United Kingdom.