Female Boxing Pound-4-Pound List

Female Boxing Pound-4-Pound List

By David A. Avila

Today boxing fans can see a few of the best female fighters in the world if they tune into the pay-per-view card set in Albuquerque New, Mexico.

Here is a Pound for Pound list of those I consider the top female fighters in the world. Those mentioned below are only fighters I’ve seen in person or on television.

Sadly, women boxers are seldom shown on television. So if you’re a fan of women’s boxing or a curious sports fan, here’s a chance to see several of the very top fighters in the world on pay-per-view.

The fight card is promoted by Lenny Frequez Productions.

Best Female Fighters

1.Layla McCarter (30-13-5, 7 KOs) – The Las Vegas-based Layla “Amazing” McCarter is the top pound-for-pound fighter because of the simple reason she only weighs 126 pounds and will fight anyone in women’s boxing. She’s ultra skillful and has beaten several top-notch fighters. In one fight, she snapped a bone in her right arm and still continued until the end. McCarter is one of the few female fighters to go 12 rounds and fight three-minute rounds. She is truly amazing.

2. Chevelle Hallback (26-5-2, 11 KOs) – Based out of Florida, Chevelle “Fists of Fury” is probably the most dangerous and most exciting fighter in women’s boxing. She’s a super athlete with great boxing skills but she prefers to bang. Hallback is another featherweight who fights much heavier girls. She lost to junior middleweights Sanders and Holm, but they were too big for her. She still gave them hell. Imagine Manny Pacquiao fighting Kelly Pavlik, that’s what Hallback brings to the ring.

3. Holly Holm (21-1-2, 6 KOs) – The New Mexico fighter Holly “Hottie” Holm has fought just about everybody and beaten them in her home turf. Once again she’s fighting on her turf but with out-of-state judges and against another great fighter Mary Jo Sanders. This will be her ultimate test. Holm can box.

4. Melinda Cooper (19-0, 11 KOs) – This quiet fighter out of Las Vegas is one of the best knockout punchers in the business. She hits hard, moves fast and has a killer instinct that belies her looks. When Cooper, 23, fights, look out because any time she’s in the ring the bout can end quickly. She’s the youngest fighter on this list and perhaps the best bantamweight today.

5. Melissa Hernandez (8-1-2, 3 KOs) – The New York lightweight division fighter is willing to fight at any weight. She’s only about two inches over five feet but has a heart the size of Manhattan. The Puerto Rican fighter is very slick and showy. Hernandez, 28, is a very entertaining fighter and fearless in the ring.

6. Wendy Rodriguez (18-4-3, 3 KOs) – Because she only weighs about 100 pounds it’s tough to find opponents capable of fighting this South-Central Los Angeles boxer. She’s one of the most skillful fighters in the sport. At four-feet 11-inches, Rodriguez can box from the outside or fight toe-to-toe. She has very quick punches and fights very smart. Rodriguez is seeking redemption this week against Hollie Dunaway, who beat her last year.

7. Elena Reid (19-4-6, 5 KOs) –  Known as “Baby Doll,” the Las Vegas-based fighter is always eager to fight. That’s why she’s trying MMA. Elena Reid needs to quit fighting in the New York area where she can’t get a break from the bad judges or she needs to end the fights by knockout. The flyweight boxer has been fighting professionally for eight years now.

8. Carina Moreno (17-1, 5 KOs) – Carina (La Reina) Moreno is like this tiny tornado that erupts from her corner and piles on punches faster than you can count. She’s perpetual motion and if you can’t keep up, too bad. Her only loss came to Wendy Rodriguez. Based out of Watsonville, California, she’s good enough to fight bigger girls.

9. Jeannine Garside (7-0-1, 3 KOs) – Opponents say Garside, 30, doesn’t look like much but once the fight starts she’s all about pressure and punches. She’s extremely strong inside the ring and is an all-action fighter out of Canada with a good amateur background. She began as a bantamweight but now fights at lightweight.

10. Mary Jo Sanders (25-0, 8 KOs) – She’s the daughter of former Detroit Lion tight end great Charlie Sanders. In the last several years she’s moved up in weight but first fought at the junior welterweight level and now fights as a middleweight. She’s the current IBA middleweight champion but is dropping down in weight to challenge Holm at junior middleweight.

11. Kelsey Jeffries (40-9-1, 3 KOs) – She’s one of the more experienced fighters on this list and has shown a penchant for taking on all comers. The featherweight fighter is known as the “Road Warrior” and proved it all through her career. At 32, how much longer does this firefighter still have?

12. Mariana Juarez (19-5-3, 9 KOs) – Was out of boxing for two years with injuries and then pregnancy. She recently returned to the ring and seemed to beat a tough fighter in Monica Lovato in a junior bantamweight match but didn’t get the decision in New Mexico. Juarez, 27, still looks like one of the best prizefighters in the world. She’s back living in Mexico City.

Honorable mention:

Anne Saccurato, Fujin Raika, Ana Maria Torres, Jessica Rakoczy, Jelena Mrdjenovich, Jennifer Barber and Kaliesha West.