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The Irish Sun
06-08-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘Nothing was going to stop me' – George Groves reveals the pain of boxing with a BROKEN JAW in dramatic world title win
GEORGE GROVES was never going to let the pain of injury stop him from being champion - whether he had a broken jaw or dislocated shoulder. The die-hard Chelsea fan had three cracks at the super-middleweight world title - twice losing to Carl Froch and later Badou Jack. 8 George Groves celebrating his world title win against Fedor Chudinov Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 8 It was Groves' fourth crack at the belt Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 8 Groves suffered a broken jaw during the fight Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd So when he got his fourth attempt against Fedor Chudinov in 2017 - for the WBA version - Groves knew it would be his final. But disaster struck in the third round when a right hand cracked Groves' jaw - breaking it instantly - threatening to KO his title hopes for good. Groves told SunSport, courtesy of Midnite: "I knew it straight away. I'd broke my jaw ten years prior as an amateur. "I remember - I think it was the third round - the last punch of the round he wings a big right hand over the top and I hear a loud crack. READ MORE IN BOXING ED'S UP, JAKE Hearn sends chilling Anthony Joshua warning to Jake Paul after fight update "I just thought, 'He's broke my jaw!' It was exactly the same as how it broke last time." Knowing it was his last chance saloon - Groves bravely boxed on and was forced to bite down on his gum shield. But he refused to let trainer Shane McGuigan to take it out of his mouth amid the excruciating pain. Groves, now 37, revealed: "I tried to shut my mouth and it wouldn't shut properly. I just thought, I'm not gonna tell Shane, my cornerman. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "I didn't want him to behave differently because I had a broken jaw. He goes to take the gumshield out and I just shake my head. "Absolutely nothing could have stopped me - they'd have to have carried me out." George Groves puts Sun Sport through their paces with intense workout Groves knocked Chudinov out at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane to at last become champion of the world. It also earned him a place in the eight-man World Boxing Super Series tournament in 2018 - beating Jamie Cox before facing Chris Eubank Jr in the semis. But once again, Groves' resilience would be tested after dislocating his shoulder in the 12th and final round. He desperately held onto victory, his world title and place in the final, but felt the affects of the injury on the way to the hospital. Groves said: "When the adrenaline's pumping, you've got no pain. The shoulder came out and it just felt really weird. "It wouldn't go back in and I'm more thinking about what's the long-term damage here? "I'm in the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series, I might have to box in a couple months. 'It's more painful than childbirth' "So there was the threat of long-term damage. Whereas with the broken jaw it was like, 'You've just got to get through this. You can't lose this bout.' "The fight was won pretty much against Eubank, it was the final round. "But afterwards, the comedown once the adrenaline starting wearing off, in the ambulance with the dislocated shoulder was pretty horrific. "The surgeon told me it's more painful than childbirth!" Groves made it to the final but was beaten in Saudi Arabia by Callum Smith - announcing his retirement at the age of 30 soon after. It came as a shock to many - but for Groves it was always the plan - win or lose, saying said: "I knew it before I'd even boxed Chudinov. "I had an exit strategy. Before I boxed Chudinov we had done a deal to enter the World Boxing Super Series. "It was going to be three fights in 12 months for good money and some belts. He wings a big right hand over the top and I hear a loud crack. I just thought, 'He's broke my jaw!' George Groves "I had to beat Chudinov to do that and I thought after winning the world title, what's the drive? What's the ambition? What's the motivation? "I knew it wouldn't be there but if I've got this tournament where there's some real big characters in there then that's perfect. Then I'm done. "You have to have that because it could've been, win the tournament and 'Oh look, James DeGale's other there. This fella Canelo is coming up to super-middleweight, let's hang around.' "Of course, it would've been wonderful to do that but I was 30 then, my second son had just been born and I was ready to spend some time away from boxing and leave it all on the table." Nowadays, Groves provides expert punditry and analysis for TV stations and radio when he's not training his protege Lucas Roehrig. The former world champ met cruiserweight Roehrig - who is 5-0 - while coaching at his old Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club. He even took SunSport on the pads - passing down his knowledge - and gave us a few whacks on the body belt - thankfully showing mercy. Adapting to life as a coach, Groves said: "I love it. When I finished from boxing and retired, I thought, 'That's me done. Never watching one more round of boxing.' "But, the truth is it's what you know, it's what you are, it's who I am. I've been fortunate enough to be ringside year after year covering the big fights. "It was only a matter of time before I got back between the ropes and this time in a safe - not always safe - distance of holding pads." 8 Groves proved to SunSport he's still got it Credit: SunSport 8 He is still clearly a lethal body puncher Credit: SunSport 8 But Groves is now a coach, teaching SunSport the basics Credit: SunSport 8 He has a wealth of knowledge to pass down Credit: SunSport
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Oleksandr Usyk names only fighter he dislikes ahead of Daniel Dubois rematch
Over the years, the Ukrainian has been very respectful to his opponents, but there is one former rival that completely rubbed him the wrong way Oleksandr Usyk has revealed former world champion Marco Huck is the only one of his former opponents he does not like. The Ukrainian heavyweight is gearing up for a rematch with Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night, aiming to repeat to score a second win over the Brit - after knocking out 'Triple D' in the ninth round in 2023 - and put an end to their rivalry. Despite nearing the end of his boxing career and contemplating retirement after two more fights, Usyk's passion for the sport remains the same. Known for his sportsmanship, Usyk typically avoids trash talk and demonstrates respect for his opponents, often seen shaking hands and showing his class both in and outside the ring. However, there is one individual who completely rubbed him the wrong way. Speaking to DAZN, Usyk expressed his dislike for Huck, stating: "My weakness? I love people. I love my opponents. Only one of my opponents I do not love It's Marco Huck. He is a bad guy because this man said bad words about my mother. Listen, it is bad, but all my British rivals, they are great people." The pair fought back in 2017 in the quarter-finals of the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament. At the time, Usyk was the WBO champion at 200lbs. Ahead of their blockbuster showdown at the Max-Schmelling-Halle in Berlin, Germany, the Ukrainian came across as rattled on several occasions, reports All Out Fighting. During their final face-off, Huck pushed Usyk, who later shouted: "I will bury him on Saturday," as he was ushered out of the venue. This came after Huck had launched a series of personal attacks, including shocking remarks about Usyk's mother. On the night of the fight, Huck started aggressively but was ultimately stopped in the 10th round. Usyk went on to win the tournament by beating Murat Gassiev in the final. Watch Usyk vs Dubois 2 live on DAZN This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more £24.99 DAZN Order the fight here Product Description Fast forward eight years, and Usyk is still dominating the boxing scene. He's gearing up for a fight against Dubois, with the chance to become a three-time undisputed champion. Despite their competitive edge, Usyk has expressed respect for Dubois, saying: "Daniel is a good athlete and a boxer. He has good skills Daniel... last three fights, he had great wins in Filip Hrgovic, Jarrell Miller and Anthony Joshua. I think he is a great fighter." With just a few days to go until fight night, the pair are in the final stages of preparations for the clash. Usyk will be desperate once again to put to bed any doubt and truly settle the rivalry once and for all. When asked for his official prediction, the Ukrainian replied: "I win... wonderful." When is Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois? The second bout between Usyk and Dubois is scheduled for Saturday, 19 July, at Wembley Stadium. The fight will be exclusively broadcast live on DAZN PPV. The entire fight card for the night can be accessed live on DAZN PPV, priced at £24.99 in the UK; $59.99 in the US; and $19.99/equivalent in ROW. The DAZN coverage is set to kick off around 5:30pm BST (12.30pm ET / 9.30am PT), with the first undercard fight expected to start at approximately 5.40pm BST (12.40pm ET / 9.40am PT). Usyk and Dubois are anticipated to make their ringwalks at 9:45pm BST (4:45pm ET / 1:45pm PT).
The Irish Sun
15-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘He's a bad guy' – Oleksandr Usyk reveals ‘the only opponent I don't love' ahead of Daniel Dubois fight
OLEKSANDR USYK has revealed the one opponent he truly hated. The former two-weight undisputed champion has seldom said a bad word about any of his opponents during his Hall of Fame career. Advertisement 5 Oleksandr Usyk has friendly relationships with all his past opponents, bar one Credit: GETTY 5 Usyk has an immense dislike for former cruiserweight rival Marco Huck Credit: GETTY 5 Usyk dislikes Huck for the comments he made about his mother, Nadezhda. Credit: EAST2WEST In fact, the Ukrainian has been nothing but complimentary about all the pugilists he's faced - bar one. The fighter in question is the fan favourite's 2017 cruiserweight foe, Marco Huck. In an interview with "Only one of my opponents I don't love. It's Marco Huck." Advertisement READ MORE ON USYK Usyk's disdain for Huck, who aggressively pushed him during a pre-fight press conference, stems from comments the German made about his mother, Nadezha. He continued: "(He's a) bad guy, because this man says bad words (about) my mama. It's bad." Usyk made Huck eat his words with a ten-round beatdown in the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series, which saw him retain the WBO cruiserweight title. He'd fight three more times at cruiserweight before leaving the division to pursue heavyweight glory. Advertisement Most read in Boxing JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 USYK VS DUBOIS 2: Stream, TV channel and undercard info for blockbuster Wembley fight Advertisement The 38-year-old would become unified heavyweight champion in September 2021 with a points victory over Anthony Joshua, whom he bested again the following August. He'd become undisputed king of the heavyweights last May with a decision victory over Tyson Fury in their Riyadh rumble. In camp with Daniel Dubois ahead of Oleksandr Usyk bout Usyk sent Fury into retirement with a dominant win in their rematch last December, although it wasn't for all the heavyweight marbles. The slick southpaw will bid to become two-time undisputed heavyweight champion on Saturday night in a Wembley rematch with Advertisement Usyk stopped the IBF titleholder in the ninth round of the first meeting in August 2023, which was shrouded in controversy due to what the referee deemed to be a low blow from the Brit. 5 Oleksandr Usyk renews his rivalry with Brit Daniel Dubois on Saturday night Credit: RICHARD PELHAM
Scottish Sun
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘He's a bad guy' – Oleksandr Usyk reveals ‘the only opponent I don't love' ahead of Daniel Dubois fight
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. The slick southpaw has also revealed the reason why he dislikes his former foe FIGHTING TALK 'He's a bad guy' – Oleksandr Usyk reveals 'the only opponent I don't love' ahead of Daniel Dubois fight Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OLEKSANDR USYK has revealed the one opponent he truly hated. The former two-weight undisputed champion has seldom said a bad word about any of his opponents during his Hall of Fame career. 5 Oleksandr Usyk has friendly relationships with all his past opponents, bar one Credit: GETTY 5 Usyk has an immense dislike for former cruiserweight rival Marco Huck Credit: GETTY 5 Usyk dislikes Huck for the comments he made about his mother, Nadezhda. Credit: EAST2WEST In fact, the Ukrainian has been nothing but complimentary about all the pugilists he's faced - bar one. The fighter in question is the fan favourite's 2017 cruiserweight foe, Marco Huck. In an interview with DAZN, the 38-year-old revealed: "I love people, I love my opponents. "Only one of my opponents I don't love. It's Marco Huck." Usyk's disdain for Huck, who aggressively pushed him during a pre-fight press conference, stems from comments the German made about his mother, Nadezha. He continued: "(He's a) bad guy, because this man says bad words (about) my mama. It's bad." Usyk made Huck eat his words with a ten-round beatdown in the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series, which saw him retain the WBO cruiserweight title. He'd fight three more times at cruiserweight before leaving the division to pursue heavyweight glory. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 USYK VS DUBOIS 2: Stream, TV channel and undercard info for blockbuster Wembley fight Watch Usyk vs Dubois 2 LIVE on DAZN The 38-year-old would become unified heavyweight champion in September 2021 with a points victory over Anthony Joshua, whom he bested again the following August. He'd become undisputed king of the heavyweights last May with a decision victory over Tyson Fury in their Riyadh rumble. In camp with Daniel Dubois ahead of Oleksandr Usyk bout Usyk sent Fury into retirement with a dominant win in their rematch last December, although it wasn't for all the heavyweight marbles. The slick southpaw will bid to become two-time undisputed heavyweight champion on Saturday night in a Wembley rematch with Daniel Dubois. Usyk stopped the IBF titleholder in the ninth round of the first meeting in August 2023, which was shrouded in controversy due to what the referee deemed to be a low blow from the Brit.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boxing pound-for-pound rankings (May 2025): Naoya Inoue moves up, as Gervonta Davis drops off list
Naoya Inoue is still the undisputed king of the super bantamweights, but is he the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world? () Three of Uncrowned's top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in men's boxing competed in separate events over the weekend, providing a shakeup to our rankings of the best fighters on the planet. On Friday, Teofimo Lopez beat the previously unbeaten Arnold Barboza Jr. to the punch, evaded much of his opponent's shots, and looked levels above the Californian throughout the 12-round contest at the iconic Times Square in New York City. Advertisement Lopez has had an up-and-down career — he scored an incredible win over Vasiliy Lomachenko while the Ukrainian was at — or near — the peak of his powers, but came unstuck against George Kambosos Jr in his very next fight. Lopez even openly questioned his own skill set immediately after a split decision win over Sandor Martin. In the past couple years, though, Lopez has shown that he is the fighter many expected him to become, with big wins over the likes of Josh Taylor, Steve Claggett and now Barboza. Lopez finds himself on Uncrowned's list for the first time, alongside other fighters who competed over the weekend, including Saul "Canelo" Alvarez — who looked unspectacular against William Scull on Saturday in Riyadh — and Naoya Inoue, who climbed off the canvas to engage Ramon Cardenas in the kind of brawl he's long proclaimed to revel in. Advertisement Inoue forced a stoppage in the eighth round in his first fight in the United States for four years, and now returns to Japan for a September showdown with Murodjon Akhmadaliev, ahead of a potential champion vs. champion bout against fellow Japanese puncher and pound-for-pound great Junto Nakatani in 2026. Uncrowned's panel of experts — Kel Dansby, Alan Dawson, Darshan Desai, Jake Donovan, Lewis Watson and Elliot Worsell — have ranked the men's and women's pound-for-pound best, one through 10, using a weighted points system to determine the final rankings. (Being voted No. 1 equals 10 points, No. 2 equals nine points, down to No. 10 equaling one point.) Check out Uncrowned's updated pound-for-pound boxing rankings below. The best in the world? You're looking at him. (Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images) (Andrew Matthews - PA Images via Getty Images) MEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND 1. Oleksandr Usyk — Unified heavyweight champion (Prev: 1) A road warrior, Oleksandr Usyk has boxed in title fights in seven different countries, mostly against fighters from those regions. Advertisement He won the World Boxing Super Series at cruiserweight by clearing out the best fighters in that division, and rivals Evander Holyfield as the best 200-pound fighter the world has ever seen. He then moved up to heavyweight and wasted no time defeating Anthony Joshua (twice) and Tyson Fury (twice) despite surrendering a considerable size advantage to the modern day giants. In that sense, he epitomizes what the concept of pound-for-pound is all about. He's already beaten Daniel Dubois once, but considering the wins the Brit has picked up since — to Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Joshua — Dubois has put himself right back into undisputed championship contention. 2. Naoya Inoue — Undisputed super bantamweight champion (Prev: 3) Naoya Inoue climbs a rung up our rankings ladder after exchanging knockdowns on Sunday with Ramon Cardenas before stopping the game Mexican in the eighth round of an instant classic at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Advertisement Inoue has held multiple world championships across four weight classes and is building a hulking résumé already, with signature wins over Nonito Donaire (twice), Stephen Fulton and Luis Nery. Inoue is expected to fight Matchroom boxer Murodjon Akhmadaliev in September before an all-Japanese superfight with Junto Nakatani next year. 3. Terence Crawford — WBA super welterweight champion (Prev: 2) Crawford is your favorite fighter's favorite fighter. Even Usyk recognizes Crawford as the pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter in the world, over himself. "Bud" managed to clean out super lightweight without too much adversity then dove into 147 pounds as a feared fighter. When Crawford finally landed his long-awaited superfight with Errol Spence Jr., he showed exactly why he was avoided for so long. A fight initially thought to be a 50-50 match on paper became a total mismatch in reality, as Crawford pummeled Spence for a ninth-round TKO win. It was a brutally one-sided demolition job. Advertisement More recently, the Omaha native edged Israil Madrimov to become a four-division champion. He now heads toward a legacy bout with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight world championship in September at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Terence Crawford (right) has his superfight with "Canelo" Alvarez officially set for September. (). (Mark Robinson via Getty Images) 4. Dmitry Bivol — Undisputed light heavyweight champion (Prev: 4) Bivol held the WBA light heavyweight crown for seven years until falling short to Beterbiev in their undisputed title fight this past October. During his reign, Bivol made 12 successful defenses, which included an upset win over "Canelo" in 2022. Bivol managed to avenge his defeat to Beterbiev this year and ascend as only the 11th man to become undisputed champion of the four-belt era. Bivol and Beterbiev are likely to run it back later in 2025. Advertisement Outside of that, there are numerous other significant fights available for Bivol, including David Benavidez, a rematch with Alvarez, or the consensus No. 1 cruiserweight Jai Opetaia. Regardless, out of every fighter on this list, it is Bivol who has two of the most significant and meaningful wins, considering his victories over both "Canelo" and Beterbiev. His ticket to the Hall of Fame in Canastota has already been punched. 5. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez — WBC flyweight champion (Prev: 6) Rodriguez stepped in to face Carlos Cuadras on five days' notice for his first world title in 2022. It was a two-division jump for "Bam," but his trainer Robert Garcia had no doubt he was up to the test. Advertisement Rodriguez impressed to capture the WBC super flyweight crown and has never looked back. The 24-year-old has taken out three of the four kings at super flyweight and now chases undisputed status at 115 pounds. "Bam" is targeting a unification fight with WBA titleholder Fernando "Puma" Martinez, however he must first dispatch Phumelela Cafu, whom he fights on July 19 at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. 6. Artur Beterbiev — Former undisputed light heavyweight champion (Prev: 5) After edging a controversial decision over Bivol in October to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion, Beterbiev fell short in the rematch earlier in the year. Now the pair look headed toward a trilogy — arguably the most significant three-fight series since Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury. Advertisement Beterbiev, 40, picked up boxing's 175-pound titles one by one prior to his first career loss and could move up to cruiserweight to become a two-division champion after the Bivol trilogy. A fight between Beterbiev and Opetaia would be a sensational matchup sometime in the next 12 months, and there's a chance that by the time it happens, it could be for all four cruiserweight belts — meaning a win would see Beterbiev join the top three names in this list as two-division undisputed champions. 7. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez — Undisputed super middleweight champion (Prev: 7) Alvarez has been the sport's biggest commercial star for almost a decade. The Mexican champion faced the best opponents boxing had to offer across many divisions until his May 2022 defeat to Bivol. But since then, Alvarez has seemingly become more reluctant to take on some of the bigger challenges available to him, and is arguably showing his age by throwing fewer punches. Advertisement In May, "Canelo" made his Riyadh Season debut against William Scull but looked listless throughout the show, yet still secured a decision win. He has not knocked anybody out since 2021, and will now put his undisputed status at 168 pounds on the line against Crawford this September in Las Vegas at the home of the NFL's Raiders. Had that fight taken place last year, few would have picked against "Canelo." But questions are now being asked about whether Alvarez is finally showing his age in boxing years. It may well become a more competitive fight than what it once was. Is Saul "Canelo" Alvarez finally starting to slow down? (FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images) (FAYEZ NURELDINE via Getty Images) 8. Junto Nakatani — WBC bantamweight champion (Prev: 8) Nakatani is perhaps in the position Inoue was among the wider boxing community before Inoue's win over Fulton. As an undefeated three-division champion, but one based in the lower weights and away from the Western community, Nakatani is still building a fan base in the U.S. Advertisement Nakatani knocked out David Cuellar in Tokyo on Feb. 24 to make the third defense of his WBC bantamweight title. He now targets a unification fight with IBF champion Ryosuke Nishida in the summer. Speaking to Uncrowned and other reporters in May, Naoya Inoue talked-up the chances of a champion vs champion contest against Nakatani next summer. It has all the makings to be the Japanese equivalent of Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns. 9. David Benavidez — WBA light heavyweight champion (Prev: Unranked) A two-weight world champion, David Benavidez is proving to be a BMF for boxing as he seeks out the toughest fights and over-delivers with a relentless and grueling fighting style. Advertisement With wins over Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade, Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell, Benavidez has continually delivered in elite fights. After failing to lure "Canelo" into the ring, he's likely turning his attention next to the winner of the Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev trilogy bout. 10T. Shakur Stevenson — WBC lightweight champion (Prev: 10) A three-division world champion, Stevenson, 27, is crying out for the big fights at 135 pounds. He joined Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing in 2024 to further that cause and made a successful debut for the promotional company, stopping late-replacement Josh Padley in nine rounds, earlier this year. Stevenson and Hearn immediately called for a fight with "Tank" Davis after Stevenson's win. Stevenson also said he'd be open to a unification fight with newly crowned WBO champion Keyshawn Davis — a fight many assumed wasn't in play due to the pair's close relationship. Advertisement Stevenson's ability is clear for all to see but he needs to be in the career-defining fights to justify a slot in the upper echelon of the pound-for-pound list. 10T. Teofimo Lopez — WBO super lightweight champion (Prev: Unranked) Also gunning for big fights and a further ascent up the pound-for-pound rankings is Teofimo Lopez. 'The Takeover' has a deep résumé for a 27-year-old, having beaten Vasiliy Lomachenko, Josh Taylor and Arnold Barboza Jr., the last of whom he outboxed through 12 rounds of a WBO super lightweight world title fight this past Friday. The top fighter at 140 pounds, Lopez could fight the likes of Jack Catterall, Devin Haney or Richardson Hitchins. No matter who he's matched up against, few would pick against him based on his recent run of form and proven ability. Advertisement (Others receiving votes: Kenshiro Teraji, Daniel Dubois, Lamont Roach.) Claressa Shields keeps making history. () (Nic Antaya via Getty Images) WOMEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND 1. Claressa Shields — Undisputed heavyweight champion and WBO light heavyweight champion (Prev: 1) Shields is a five-division world champion and the only boxer, male or female, to have held undisputed titles in three different weight divisions of the four-belt era. She won undisputed gold at middleweight in 2019, where there are only 37 active participants in the world; at super welterweight in 2021, which has 63 registered boxers; and most recently at heavyweight, which is home to just 18 fighters. Advertisement With 118 fighters competing in the three divisions she's won the undisputed championships in, it's understandable why the two-time Olympic champion has struggled to find big-name dance partners. Regardless, she's beaten every contender put in front of her, and that's all that anyone can ask of any pugilist. 2. Katie Taylor — Undisputed super lightweight champion (Prev: 2) Taylor has, by far, the best résumé in women's boxing with wins over Amanda Serrano, Delfine Persoon and Chantelle Cameron. The Irishwoman is nearing the end of her pro career and has just one or two bouts left. But the big fights just keep on coming for Taylor, as she heads into the highly-anticipated trilogy bout with her career rival Amanda Serrano in New York this summer on Netflix. Advertisement 3. Amanda Serrano — Unified featherweight champion (Prev: 3) Puerto Rico's Serrano was left disappointed, again, not to get the nod in her rematch with Taylor in November. She gets one last change for revenge when she takes on Taylor at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 11, with all the major titles at super lightweight once again at stake. Considering Serrano is most comfortable at 125 pounds, should she finally score a win over Taylor at 135 pounds, she'll elevate her pound-for-pound standing considerably. The stage cannot be bigger considering she has home field advantage, in front of a potentially massive worldwide audience on Netflix. Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are set to run things back for a third time. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images) (Anadolu via Getty Images) 4. Gabriela Fundora — Undisputed flyweight champion (Prev: 6) Fundora impressively stopped Gabriela Alaniz to unify the flyweight division in November in Las Vegas. She then followed that win up with a seventh-round knockout over Marilyn Badillo Amaya at a Golden Boy show in Oceanside, California, in April. Advertisement At just 22 years old, she is the youngest undisputed champion of the four-belt era — and she could very well be the face of women's boxing in the years to come. 5. Chantelle Cameron — WBC interim super lightweight champion (Prev: 4) Chantelle Cameron has yet to fight this year but has beaten a who's who of elite women, thanks to a majority decision win over Katie Taylor and a win on points over Jessica McCaskill. Cameron and Taylor split one win apiece with their two bouts in Ireland in 2023. Cameron worked her way back to another shot at the championship, winning two fights in 2024 after losing her belts to Taylor in their November 2023 rematch. Advertisement Her next fight will likely be against the Taylor vs Serrano III winner. 6. Dina Thorslund — Unified bantamweight champion (Prev. 10) Thorslund has secured world titles in two weight classes: Bantamweight and super bantamweight. Since unifying in 2023, she has made three successful defenses of her bantamweight crown. Promoter Lou DiBella is organizing a bantamweight tournament, which could feature all three beltholders in the weight class and would provide Thorslund the path to undisputed. Ahead of that, she fights on the Taylor vs. Serrano III show in New York, broadcast on Netflix, as she takes on Shurretta Metcalf. Advertisement 7. Alycia Baumgardner — Undisputed super featherweight champion (Prev: 7) Baumgardner announced herself to the pugilist community when she knocked out Terri Harper on her feet to win the WBC super featherweight title in November 2021. Baumgardner eventually became the undisputed champion at 130 pounds, beating Mikaela Mayer, but her career was halted for some time after failing an anti-doping test in the lead-up to her title defense against Christina Linardatou. The American has boxed once since, against Delfine Persoon in a fight that was declared a no contest. Baumgardner has since made big moves in the women's game, signing with Jake Paul and Nikisa Bidarian's Most Valuable Promotions. Her debut for the new promoter takes place on July 11 on the Taylor vs Serrano undercard, as he fights Jennifer Miranda. Alycia Baumgardner is bringing her gold to Netflix on July 11. (for Netflix) (Sarah Stier via Getty Images) 8T. Mikaela Mayer — WBO welterweight champion (Prev: 8) Mayer has been on the wrong end of two disputed decisions. In 2022, she was considered unlucky not to get her hand raised after 10 brilliant rounds with Baumgardner, and in 2024, she came away second-best again in the eyes of the judges against Natasha Jonas. Advertisement The rub of the green finally favored Mayer in September, though, when she edged Sandy Ryan to win the WBO welterweight title. Mayer vs. Ryan, alongside Taylor vs. Serrano 2, was the frontrunner for the women's fights of the year in 2024. Mayer and Ryan fought a rematch on March 29, news of which was first reported by Uncrowned. It was a case of repeat rather than revenge as Mayer, again, won via decision. 8T. Yokasta Valle — WBC strawweight champion (Prev: Unranked) A three-division world champion, Yokasta Valle — a Costa Rican fighter — has won titles at atomweight, mini flyweight and light flyweight. Advertisement Though Valle lost the biggest win of her career — a defeat via decision to Seniesa Estrada in 2024 — she has rebounded with three successive wins, including a huge victory over Marlen Esparza in Mexico. 10. Lauren Price — Unified welterweight champion (Prev: Unranked) There are few active fighters who are more decorated than burgeoning Welsh fighter Lauren Price, who won the gold medal for Britain at the 2020 Olympic Games, and has parlayed that success into the pro game, as she's unified three major world championships, as well as The Ring Magazine title, after only nine bouts. In that short space of time, she's already defeated Jessica McCaskill and Natasha Jonas. At just 30 years old, the southpaw's best years may still be ahead of her. (Others receiving votes: Natasha Jonas, Ellie Scotney, Savannah Marshall, Delfine Persoon, Caroline Dubois.) Here is how Uncrowned's boxing team voted: Kel Dansby MEN Oleksandr Usyk Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Dmitry Bivol Jesse Rodriguez Saul Alvarez Junto Nakatani Teofimo Lopez Artur Beterbiev Shakur Stevenson WOMEN Claressa Shields Gabriela Fundora Katie Taylor Amanda Serrano Mikaela Mayer Natasha Jonas Chantelle Cameron Savannah Marshall Alycia Baumgardner Yokasta Valle Alan Dawson MEN Oleksandr Usyk Dmitry Bivol Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Jesse Rodriguez Artur Beterbiev David Benavidez Daniel Dubois Lamont Roach Saul Alvarez WOMEN Katie Taylor Claressa Shields Amanda Serrano Gabriela Fundora Chantelle Cameron Alycia Baumgardner Dina Thorslund Yokasta Valle Caroline Dubois Delfine Persoon Darshan Desai MEN Oleksandr Usyk Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Dmitry Bivol Artur Beterbiev Jesse Rodriguez Saul Alvarez Shakur Stevenson David Benavidez Junto Nakatani WOMEN Katie Taylor Claressa Shields Amanda Serrano Chantelle Cameron Alycia Baumgardner Gabriela Fundora Ellie Scotney Mikaela Mayer Lauren Price Yokasta Valle Jake Donovan MEN Oleksandr Usyk Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Dmitry Bivol Jesse Rodriguez Artur Beterbiev Saul Alvarez Junto Nakatani David Benavidez Kenshiro Teraji WOMEN Claressa Shields Katie Taylor Amanda Serrano Gabriela Fundora Dina Thorslund Chantelle Cameron Lauren Price Mikaela Mayer Yokasta Valle Alycia Baumgardner Lewis Watson MEN Oleksandr Usyk Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Dmitry Bivol Artur Beterbiev Jesse Rodriguez Junto Nakatani Kenshiro Teraji David Benavidez Saul Alvarez WOMEN Claressa Shields Katie Taylor Gabriela Fundora Amanda Serrano Dina Thorslund Chantelle Cameron Alycia Baumgardner Yokasta Valle Lauren Price Mikaela Mayer Elliot Worsell MEN Oleksandr Usyk Terence Crawford Dmitry Bivol Naoya Inoue Jesse Rodriguez Artur Beterbiev Saul Alvarez Junto Nakatani Teofimo Lopez Shakur Stevenson WOMEN
