Box Magazine likes to update its rankings twice a year. In the Lightweight division, a champion reigns supreme but younger challengers are coming after her. A string of results and retirements has caused a serious reshuffle.
Latest update: January 2021
Champion – Zohana Patel
The Indian and pound for pound queen shows no sign of slowing down in her mid 30s. Fast, fluid, smart and strong, she is nearly undefeated and she likes to treat herself to a challenger on a regular basis. Will anyone beat her before she retires?
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2 – Takara Oshima
The new number two contender flew all the way from Japan to England, and up the charts. Power in both hands, convincing knockout wins the conviction that she is the Next Big Thing make her a very credible challenger for the title.
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4 – Heather Barker
Barker has been very successful ever since she joined this division, compromising her opponents’ health in her last two wins. Coupled with her high ring IQ, this makes the Canadian highly rated in this sphere of influence.
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9 – Sophie Schumann
The biggest young talent in women’s boxing has confirmed her ability and intentions with a knockout win against Megan Thomas. She cracks the Top 10 very early, and the magazine’s editorial board wonders if anyone can stop her growth.
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10 – Akane Watanabe
Win some, lose some, but always be dangerous. The German bounced back from a heavy defeat the smash the previously “unknockedout” Elena Kuzminska in Poland. This alone opens the door to the top ranks.
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12 – Megan Thomas
Defeat against Sophie Schumann has shown one’s ability and perhaps the other’s limits. The American champion drops out of the Top 10 and probably has to defend her own castle before thinking of taking on the world again.
13 – Chelsea Carter
A wild card in the division, the fearless and entertaining stunner has scored some spectacular knockouts for a solid jump up. Rising like a rocket and perhaps on the verge to accomplish something special.
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15 – Astrid Olsson
One of the scrappiest and most entertaining fighters in women’s boxing has suffered losses but her toughness and enjoyment of pugilistic arts are undeniable. So is her talent to take a big punch and land an even bigger one in return.
