The Top Ten British Female Fighters

The Top Ten British Female Fighters

I last compiled this list in early April. Despite the relatively short period between then and now, two fighters on that list have since fought with varying degrees of success, and those two fights involving Nina Hughes and Lauren Price have prompted to amend the rankings from last month.

The obvious big mover in my subjective rankings is Lauren Price. The Olympic gold medallist stepped up in class to defeat the American Jessica McCaskill in Cardiff. While an eye injury curtailed the fight somewhat prematurely, Price was well on her way to a one-sided victory. After the eight completed rounds, the Welsh hero had won every single one of those rounds. Keeping up that amazing record of never losing a round in her professional career.

The manner of the victory was immensely impressive. Price handled the tough and rugged McCaskill even easier than Katie Taylor, Chantelle Cameron, and Sandy Ryan managed to do. Even though Ryan was blatantly robbed of a deserved victory over McCaskill, the American still took rounds off Ryan, as she did with Taylor and Cameron. In truth, Price made it look easy. The win earned Price the WBA, IBO, and Ring Magazine welterweight baubles.

That performance and the manner of it pushes Price up from nine to four on the revised list for May. Price will likely return in a big unification fight with the Croatian fighter Ivana Habazin, who holds the WBC welterweight title. Habazin was ringside on Saturday night. Trust me, she was there for a reason.

Nina Hughes lost her world bantamweight title to the Australian Cherneka Johnson on the same night that saw Lauren Price leave Cardiff a world champion. It was a strange night that was clouded by some controversy. The ring announcer had a bad night at the office, initially declaring Hughes the winner in Perth before his mistake was rectified a few seconds later, and Johnson was announced as the new WBA bantamweight world champion. I had Hughes beating Johnson 96-94, but losing her world title has resulted in her dropping two places to number nine on my list.

Sandy Ryan, Savannah Marshall and Rhiannon Dixon, all drop a place because of the rise of Lauren Price. Caroline Dubois rises slightly to number eight as a result of Nina Hughes dropping to number nine.

The Updated List for May:

1: Chantelle Cameron (1)
2: Natasha Jonas (2)
3: Ellie Scotney (3)
4: Lauren Price (9)
5: Sandy Ryan (4)
6: Savannah Marshall (5)
7: Rhiannon Dixon (6)
8: Caroline Dubois (8)
9: Nina Hughes (7)
10: Terri Harper (10)

I do expect even more movement in the top ten before the year ends. Caroline Dubois is probably the most talented fighter on the list. If, as expected, a world title comes her way, Dubois will rise considerably and could even be pushing for a place in the top five. Maybe even higher than that.

Chantelle Cameron will likely return in July, and with a new trainer and promoter by her side. The former undisputed super-lightweight champion has certainly rung the changes in her inner circle in recent times, but will still be chasing Katie Taylor and more world titles when she returns. A new beginning in many ways.

Natasha Jonas is still locked in talks for a rematch with Mikaela Mayer. If a deal can be reached, a repeat win over the American could land Jonas a farewell fight with either Chantelle Cameron or a showdown with Lauren Price with multiple world welterweight baubles on the line. You sense ‘Miss GB’ will not be leaving quietly.

Ellie Scotney will look to add more world super-bantamweight belts to her resume before moving up to featherweight at some point in the next twelve months. Scotney will only get better.

The WBO welterweight champion Sandy Ryan might have to be content with a few stay-busy fights for the remainder of 2024. If Price and Habazin do fight later this year, and Jonas does indeed run it back with Mayer, Ryan could be frozen out of unification fights in the short term. Things can change incredibly quickly in boxing, but Ryan might need a little patience before a much bigger 2025.

Savannah Marshall still holds world super-middleweight titles, but at some point, she needs to defend them. Marshall is currently dabbling in the world of PFL MMA, and I’m not convinced she will box again this year. A rematch with Claressa Shields is seemingly more likely to happen in MMA rather than boxing.

Rhiannon Dixon claimed the vacant WBO lightweight title courtesy of a points victory over Karen Elizabeth Carabajal in Manchester last month. The matchmaking has been one of perfection so far in her ten-fight career. Despite that WBO title, that needs to continue. Dixon is the most-improved fighter on the list, but a few more learning fights will serve her well before the inevitable unification fights at some point in 2025.

The future is bright. The depth of the female ranks is ever-improving. Maisey-Rose Courtney, Raven Chapman, Karriss Artingstall, Chloe Watson, and others will undoubtedly make considerable progress in their careers this year. Nina Hughes and Terri Harper may struggle to remain in the top ten for much longer. For different reasons, their next move needs to be the right one.

Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing & Lawrence Lustig/Boxxer