Tiah-Mai Ayton: The Star Girl

Tiah-Mai Ayton: The Star Girl

Claressa Shields is more than arguably the biggest superstar on the female side of the sport. Another chapter awaits as Shields defends her undisputed world heavyweight titles against old rival Franchon Crews-Dezurn in Detroit this weekend. The day before Shields writes the next stage of her illustrious career, the next potential superstar of women’s boxing has fight number five in Nottingham.

The Brazilian Catherine Tacone Ramos will look to do better than Ayton’s four previous opponents. Four wins. Four stoppages. A debut year in the professional ranks that couldn’t have gone any better. Already heavily-hyped after an unblemished twenty-one fight amateur career, that hype reached a whole new level after just those four professional fights. Ayton impressed beyond any reasonable expectations.

On her pro debut last June, Sara Orszagi was stopped in three rounds. In less than six minutes, Ayton already had the look of a future star. Two more 4th round stoppages followed that impressive first outing in the pro ranks, and in December, Ana Karla Vaz De Moraes didn’t make it out of the third round. Four fights in just six months, Ayton is certainly being kept busy. 2026 looks like it will be no different.

“I like staying active, so I’m always ready to go again and learn more things whenever I start a new camp,” Ayton said at Thursdays press conference for this weekend’s big show in Nottingham headlined by the heated rematch between Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington. “I hope this year to be winning my first title,” Ayton added. “I don’t know what that is yet – but I just want anything.”

The 19-year-old is incredibly ambitious, and seemingly in a rush to get to the top. Megan Redstall claimed the vacant Commonwealth bantamweight title this past weekend in Brentwood, and a clash between Redstall and Ayton would tick many boxes. For both.

But before thoughts turn to what’s next, Ayton has to deal with Catherine Tacone Ramos, an opponent who holds a win over the former world champion Shannon Courtenay and is riding a five-fight win streak. The Brazilian has only lost once since 2021, and that was to Adelaida Maria Ruiz on points in 2024. For context, Ruiz is now the WBC world super-flyweight champion. On paper, Ayton faces the toughest test of her career to date at the Nottingham Arena.

But the odds of 1/80 on an Ayton victory are either somewhat removed from reality or indicative of the talent and potential of Tiah-Mai Ayton. Almost certainly, the latter.

Ayton should win; a defeat seems extremely remote, but it is how that victory comes that will tell us plenty. The fight is scheduled for eight rounds, but it is highly unlikely to get that far. If Catherine Tacone Ramos reaches the second half of the contest, she will have done well. I’m not convinced that she will.

Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing