Melinda Watpool Enters Women’s Middleweight Top Five

Melinda Watpool has entered the women’s middleweight top five after scoring a third-round stoppage victory over Maria Dolores Hernandez Garcia in her division debut. The Canadian boxer dropped Hernandez Garcia in the second round before forcing referee Floyd Porter to stop the main-event contest at 23 seconds of Round 3 in Brampton, Canada, on Saturday.

Watpool’s victory moves her into the No. 4 position in the latest women’s divisional Boxing Rankings. The result marks her second consecutive stoppage win since her split-decision defeat to Shadasia Green in November 2024, when she challenged for the WBO super middleweight title.

The updated rankings cover 13 women’s weight divisions, from heavyweight to atomweight. They reflect recent performances, head-to-head results and the quality of opponents, while also accounting for inactivity. Here is the complete divisional breakdown, including champions, records, latest results and upcoming fights.

Melinda Watpool enters the middleweight top five

Watpool made an impressive start to life at middleweight against Maria Dolores Hernandez Garcia. After dropping her opponent in the second round, she continued her attack in the third, prompting referee Floyd Porter to step in at 23 seconds and end the contest.

The win represents another positive result for Watpool following her loss to Shadasia Green in November 2024. She has now recorded two consecutive stoppage victories since that title challenge and earns the No. 4 spot in the middleweight rankings.

Watpool’s arrival pushes Kaye Scott down one position, from fourth to fifth. The top three remain unchanged, with Claressa Shields leading the division, followed by Tamm Thibeault and Desley Robinson.

How the women’s divisional rankings are determined

The rankings are updated every Tuesday and take several factors into consideration. Recent bouts, head-to-head competition and the quality of an opponent all contribute to a fighter’s position.

There is also an element of subjectivity in ranking boxers who have not faced one another. Until fighters meet in the ring, comparisons between their performances and achievements cannot always produce a definitive order.

Inactivity is another consideration. Fighters who have not competed for 18 months and do not have a fight scheduled will be removed from the rankings until they return to action.

Women’s heavyweight rankings (over 175 pounds)

Claressa Shields leads the heavyweight division as its undisputed champion, with an unbeaten record of 19 wins and four knockouts. Danielle Perkins holds second place, while Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse is third. Franchon Crews Dezurn and unbeaten Minellis Blanco complete the top five.

Women’s light heavyweight rankings (up to 175 pounds)

Sarah Scheurich occupies the top position as IBF champion, while Danielle Perkins is ranked second as WBA champion. Lani Daniels follows in third after her stoppage victory over Shadasia Green. Che Kenneally and Celina Agwu round out the division’s top five.

Women’s super middleweight rankings (up to 168 pounds)

Lani Daniels leads the super middleweight division as WBO and IBF champion. Shadasia Green is second, followed by Savannah Marshall and WBA and WBC champion Franchon Crews Dezurn. Raquel Miller enters the top five at No. 5 with an unbeaten record of 14-0.

Women’s middleweight rankings (up to 160 pounds)

Watpool’s arrival is the major change in the middleweight rankings. She enters at No. 4 after her stoppage win over Hernandez Garcia, while Kaye Scott moves to fifth. Shields remains at the top as WBA and WBC champion, with Tamm Thibeault holding second place as WBO and IBF champion.

Women’s junior middleweight rankings (up to 154 pounds)

Chantelle Cameron leads the junior middleweight division as a three-belt champion, holding the WBO, WBA and WBC titles. Mikaela Mayer is second, while unbeaten IBF champion Oshae Jones occupies third place. Ema Kozin and Elia Carranza complete the top five.

Women’s welterweight rankings (up to 147 pounds)

Lauren Price tops the welterweight rankings as IBF, WBA and WBC champion. WBO champion Mikaela Mayer is second, followed by Natasha Jonas. Layla McCarter is fourth after her second-round stoppage victory in October 2026, while unbeaten Dilara Yucel holds fifth place.

Women’s junior welterweight rankings (up to 140 pounds)

Sandy Ryan leads the junior welterweight division despite being listed as WBC champion in recess. Terri Harper is second, while unbeaten Litzy Adilene Vazquez Ochoa holds third place and has a scheduled December 5 bout against Stephanie Pineiro Aquino.

Women’s lightweight rankings (up to 135 pounds)

Caroline Dubois leads the lightweight division as WBO and WBC champion. Stephanie Han is second as WBA champion, while unbeaten IBF champion Elif Nur Turhan is third. Turhan is scheduled to face Alycia Baumgardner on November 8.

Women’s junior lightweight rankings (up to 130 pounds)

Alycia Baumgardner holds the top spot as WBO, IBF and WBA champion. Leila Beaudoin is ranked second, with unbeaten WBC champion Bernice Ferreira in third. Maira Moneo and Caroline Veyre complete the top five.

Women’s featherweight rankings (up to 126 pounds)

Amanda Serrano leads the featherweight rankings as WBO and WBA champion, with Tiara Brown and Nina Meinke following as WBC and IBF champions respectively. Erika Cruz is fourth, while Lucrecia Manzur occupies fifth place.

Women’s junior featherweight rankings (up to 122 pounds)

Ellie Scotney tops the junior featherweight division with an unbeaten record of 11-0. WBC champion Skye Nicolson is second and has a November 8 matchup against Miyo Yoshida. Yamileth Mercado, WBA champion Melissa Mortensen and Mayelli Flores complete the rankings.

Women’s bantamweight rankings (up to 118 pounds)

Dina Thorslund remains the undisputed bantamweight champion and leads the division with a perfect 25-0 record. Cherneka Johnson is second, while Miyo Yoshida is third and is scheduled to face Skye Nicolson on November 8. Francesca Hennessy and Krystal Rosado-Ortiz occupy fourth and fifth places.

Women’s junior bantamweight rankings (up to 115 pounds)

Mizuki Hiruta leads the junior bantamweight division as WBO champion. Irma Garcia, Adelaida Maria Ruiz and Nataly Delgado follow as IBF, WBC and WBA champions respectively. Amanda Galle completes the top five.

Women’s flyweight rankings (up to 112 pounds)

Gabriela Fundora remains the undisputed flyweight champion and leads the division with an unbeaten record. She is scheduled to defend her position against Jasmina Zapotoczna on November 20. Marilyn Badillo Amaya, Gabriela Sanchez Saavedra, Diana Laura Fernandez and Gabriela Celeste Alaniz complete the top five.

Women’s junior flyweight rankings (up to 108 pounds)

Lourdes Juarez leads the junior flyweight rankings as WBC champion. Estefany Alegria is second and holds the WBO, IBF and WBA titles. Jessica Nery Plata, Evelin Bermudez and Sara Bailey complete the division’s top five.

Women’s strawweight rankings (up to 105 pounds)

Yokasta Valle occupies first place as WBC champion, followed by Sarah Bormann, who holds the WBO and WBA titles. IBF champion Kim Clavel is third, with Yuko Kuroki and Sol Cudos ranked fourth and fifth.

Women’s atomweight rankings (up to 102 pounds)

Esneidy Rodriguez Olmos leads the atomweight rankings with an unbeaten record of 13-0-1. IBF champion Sumire Yamanaka is second, while WBC champion Camila Zamorano is third. WBA champion Isabel Rivero and Gabriela Timar complete the top five.

Watpool’s middleweight breakthrough headlines the latest rankings

The latest women’s divisional rankings feature champions across every weight class, with several upcoming contests also set to influence future positions. Watpool’s move into the middleweight top five is the most notable change highlighted by the latest update, following her stoppage victory in Brampton.

With rankings reviewed every Tuesday, upcoming fights and recent performances will continue to shape the divisions. Watpool now has a place among the leading middleweights, while the established champions and contenders across the other weight classes will look to maintain or improve their positions through their next appearances.