My Top 5 Current & Up and Coming Female Boxers in the World

It hasn’t been long since NY Fights documented award-winning photographer Emily Harney stepping foot inside the ring. We just couldn’t stop thinking about how impressive Harney was with the gloves on instead of operating a camera. Truth is, female boxers don’t get the same attention as male boxers, so it led us to thinking about all the badass female boxers who are paving the way for other women who want to break into the world of boxing. So without further ado, let’s take a look at five female boxers who deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments.

Marlen Esparza

(image: Marlen Esparza Instagram]

When female boxing officially became part of the Olympics in 2012, ESPN noted that Marlen Esparza was the first American woman to qualify and immediately snagged a bronze medal in the flyweight division. No stranger to winning awards, the 29-year old was named Houston Fighter of the Year for five consecutive years since 2010. But her biggest accomplishment to date was taking home the gold in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in 2014.

Estelle Mossely

(image: Estelle Mossely Instagram)

If you do a search for one Estelle Mossely, most of the pages that come up are in French; but it’s time to bring the Olympic gold medalist into the international spotlight. At the 2014 Summer Olympics, Mossely was 50-50 with opponent Junhua Yin from China. But she came out victorious and in tears as her hand was raised declaring her the light middleweight gold medallist. Two years later, Mossely showed dominance once more as she bested Anastasiia Beliakova for the lightweight gold in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships.

Nicola Adams 

(image: Nicola Adams Instagram)

Nicola Adams may be known for her baby face, but she is a fierce warrior inside the ring. The golden girl of British boxing was the first female boxer to win an Olympic gold, which she successfully defended four years later. She has since turned professional and just recently took out Mexican fighter Isabel Millan, which takes Adams one step closer to the WBO world flyweight title. Adams is unbeaten in her professional career, in what is already shaping up to be an impressive record.

Cecilia Brækhus

(image: Cecilia Braekhus Instagram)

At 37, Cecilia Brækhus would be forgiven for contemplating retirement but she chooses to soldier on. The Norwegian pro’s status as the female welterweight champion has been undisputed since 2014. Heavy.com reported that Brækhus has fought 33 times as a professional and has never lost a fight. She also made history as the first woman to be named Female Fighter of the Year by The Boxing Writers Association of America in over nine decades. She’s definitely earned her title as the ‘First Lady’.

Claressa Shields

(image: Claressa Shields Instagram)

Claressa Shields has proven time and time again that she is one tough cookie. She only has one blemish on her record, professional and amateur fights combined. The Michigan native is currently the unified super middleweight and middleweight champion, which she isn’t likely to give up anytime soon. She also has an Olympic gold from 2012 which made her the first American woman to win that bragging right. The most impressive thing is that she’s achieved all this success at the age of 23. It’s a long road ahead for Shields and we’re definitely here to cheer her on.