By Thomas Gerbasi 2024 WOMEN’S YEAR-END AWARDS
SENIESA ESTRADA UD 10 YOKASTA VALLE Seniesa Estrada’s sudden retirement from the sport in October shocked everyone. But it shouldn’t have, because after getting the biggest fight possible against Yokasta Valle in March and winning it to become the undisputed champion at 105 pounds, there was nothing else to do but to leave undefeated and on top of the world. That being said, fans wouldn’t have objected to a return bout between Estrada and Valle, as this was a pitched battle from start to finish, with Estrada holding off a late surge to win by unanimous decision. MIKAELA MAYER MD 10 SANDY RYAN We all know how “bad blood” matchups usually end up in boxing: two fighters not interested in exchanging at the risk of being shown up by their rival. Not Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan. They let each other and the world know just how they felt about each other in the Theater at Madison Square Garden, where they fought for 10 rounds like enemies. And when that happens at the highest level of the sport, that’s a beautiful thing. When it was over, it was Mayer leaving the Big Apple with a majority decision win, but Ryan’s stock didn’t drop an ounce in defeat. WINNERS KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR: GABRIELA FUNDORA TKO 7 GABRIELA ALANIZ Southpaw phenom Gabriela Fundora has great technique and obvious physical advantages over her foes at 112 pounds, but what makes the undisputed champion special is her focus on dominating her foes, preferably via knockout. In November, she took on a tough Argentine who had never been stopped in Gabriela Alaniz, and in the seventh round of a competitive fight, she lowered the boom. Left hands sent Alaniz to the mat twice, the second prompting a stoppage by referee Robert Hoyle that put all the belts in the possession of “Sweet Poison.”
Mikaela Mayer could win the fight off her jab alone. But this one was personal, and Mayer wanted to scrap, which was just fine with Ryan. Now, two minutes goes fast in a women’s boxing match, but Round 4 seemingly went even faster, thanks to the compelling back-and-forth action led by Mayer and answered by Ryan. Remember, kids, throw your combinations like Mikaela Mayer does. PROSPECT OF THE YEAR: MIKIAH KREPS There were plenty of eyebrows raised when former amateur star Mikiah Kreps missed weight for her second pro fight in 2021, but that’s been the only hiccup for the 28-year-old in the punch-for-pay ranks thus far, as she’s run off nine wins without a loss, including back-to-back 2024 wins over Melissa Oddessa Parker and Mayerlin Rivas, the latter victory over a former world champion that proved that the Niagara Falls native is ready for prime time in 2025. TRAINER OF THE YEAR: ROSS ENAMAIT Yes, Ross Enamait has seen his hair disappear over the years as his star fighter, Katie Taylor, often opts to brawl instead of listening to his instructions, but when it comes to getting Ireland’s finest in optimum shape and saying the right things at the right time on fight night, Enamait has few peers. In November, Taylor got off to a rough start in her rematch with Amanda Serrano, but as the rounds went on, he gave her the keys to victory, and more often than not, Taylor took them and unlocked another big win. EVENT OF THE YEAR: KATIE TAYLOR VS. AMANDA SERRANO II Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson was the fight at the top of the marquee on November 15 in Dallas, but for fans of women’s boxing, Paul-Tyson was the walkout bout, with the real main event being the rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. And while the hype of this return bout didn’t match that of their first classic in 2022, in a year that saw a biopic on Claressa Shields get released and Seniesa Estrada retire from the sport, the biggest event was clearly seeing Taylor and Serrano scrap again. Voters: Lupi Gutierrez Beagle, Christopher Benedict, Cynthia Conte, Irene Deserti, Jake Donovan, Sue Fox, Thomas Gerbasi, Mark Jones, Yuriko Miyata Nishiwaki, Diego Morilla, Yesica Palmetta, Malissa Smith
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I n terms of mainstream exposure, women’s boxing appeared to take a dip in 2024, but to the diehards, the sport is as vibrant as ever, thanks to top-level talents who are willing to test themselves against each other on a consistent basis. As for that mainstream crowd, they were back on board in a big way late in the year, thanks to a pair of rivals who delivered a second classic in AT&T Stadium. What were the rest of the highlights over the past 12 months? The Ring polled its Women’s Ratings Panel to find out the best of the best, including the candidates for Fighter and Fight of the Year. CANDIDATES FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: 1. GABRIELA FUNDORA Still just 22 years old as 2024 closed, Gabriela Fundora began the year as the IBF flyweight titleholder and a rising star in the sport. By the end of November, Fundora had all the belts at 112 pounds, including the Ring championship, and wins over Christina Cruz, Daniela Asenjo and Gabriela Alaniz that have put her on the pound-for-pound list heading into 2025. 2. AMANDA SERRANO Always looking to stay busy despite her status as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, Amanda Serrano didn’t get rolling in 2024 until July, after a March bout against Nina Meinke was canceled at the last minute. But she more than made up for her time away by first stopping Stevie Morgan in two rounds, then engaging in another
10-round war with Katie Taylor in November that – like their first fight – many believed the Puerto Rican deserved to win. 3. KATIE TAYLOR Most boxers don’t make the final three of a list like this without fighting more than once in a calendar year. Katie Taylor is not most boxers, as she made abundantly clear in November with a second win over Amanda Serrano that proved that when it comes to heart, determination and talent, Ireland’s Taylor is not just one of the top female fighters around today, but of all time. ALSO NOTABLE: Seniesa Estrada Lauren Price
UPSET OF THE YEAR: JESSICA CAMARA SD 10 HYUN-MI CHOI
Natasha Jonas Mikaela Mayer Sandy Ryan Claressa Shields FIGHT OF THE YEAR:
Jessica Camara has always been a solid fighter capable of pulling off elite performances on any given night. But few gave her a shot at being the first to defeat Hyun-mi Choi in April, especially not in Choi’s native South Korea. When the dust settled after a gritty 10-rounder, it was Camara getting her hand raised by split decision in a fight determined by the Canadian’s pressure and better conditioning down the stretch. ROUND OF THE YEAR: MIKAELA MAYER VS. SANDY RYAN – ROUND 4 Early on in her bout with Sandy Ryan, it looked like
KATIE TAYLOR UD 10 AMANDA SERRANO II After their first fight in 2022 was rightfully deemed the greatest fight in the history of women’s boxing, there was just no way the rematch could be as good. But it was. Filled with all the drama, toe-to-toe action and twists and turns of the first one, Taylor and Serrano did the impossible. Add in the controversy over headbutts and the final judges’ verdict for Taylor, and a third fight is not just inevitable, but necessary.
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