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Women's boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Katie Taylor shines, moves up after impressive victory

Katie Taylor, above center, became the junior welterweight undisputed champion after defeating Chantelle Cameron by majority decision Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Katie Taylor avenged her loss to Chantelle Cameron on Saturday to become the undisputed junior welterweight champion in front of her fans at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.

Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs), scored a majority decision victory over Cameron (18-1, 8 KOs). In their first fight back in May, Cameron outpointed Taylor by majority decision. The victory puts Taylor as only the second women fighter to be undisputed in two different division in the four-belt era (lightweight and junior welterweight). Claressa Shields is the only other women boxer to be undisputed in two divisions, junior middleweight and middleweight.

"That was the longest six months of my life," Taylor said during her post-fight interview. "This was my real homecoming tonight. Whoever wrote me off don't know me very well. Don't ever doubt me. Tonight you saw the real me, and no one can beat me like that.

"You learn most from your failures. That's where your growth comes from. Never give up."

Taylor moves one spot to No. 2 in the ESPN women's pound-for-pound rankings, while Cameron stays at No. 4.

"I moved Katie Taylor from fourth to second place on my list because of merit," boxing commentator Bernardo Pilatti said. "Everything was against Taylor in the Rematch against Cameron. She was the underdog against an opponent who in the first fight was better at almost everything. Taylor had to adjust like never before and achieved a fantastic victory. At 36 years old, she is a two-division undisputed champion, a feat that not only add to her great career, but earns her the No. 2 spot on my list."

Here's the current top 10.

Note: Results are through Nov. 29.

1. CLARESSA SHIELDS     Previous ranking: No. 1

RECORD: 14-0, 2 KOs
DIVISION: Middleweight undisputed champion
LAST FIGHT: W (UD10) Maricela Cornejo, June 3
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


2. KATIE TAYLOR     Previous ranking: No. 3

RECORD: 23-1, 6 KOs
DIVISION: Lightweight and junior welterweight undisputed champion
LAST FIGHT: W (MD10) Chantelle Cameron, Nov. 25
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


3. AMANDA SERRANO     Previous ranking: No. 2

RECORD: 46-2-1, 30 KOs
DIVISION: Featherweight undisputed champion
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Danila Ramos, Oct. 27
NEXT FIGHT: March 2 vs. Nina Meinke


4. CHANTELLE CAMERON     Previous ranking: No. 4

RECORD: 18-1, 8 KOs
DIVISION: Junior welterweight
LAST FIGHT: L (MD10) Katie Taylor, Nov. 25
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


5. SENIESA ESTRADA     Previous ranking: No. 5

RECORD: 25-0, 9 KOs
DIVISION: Strawweight unified champion
LAST FIGHT: W (UD10) Leonela Yudica, July 28
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


6. MIKAELA MAYER     Previous ranking: No. 6

RECORD: 19-2, 5 KOs
DIVISION: Welterweight
LAST FIGHT: L (SD10) Natasha Jonas, Jan. 20
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


7. SAVANNAH MARSHALL     Previous ranking: No. 7

RECORD: 13-1, 10 KOs
DIVISION: Super middleweight undisputed champion
LAST FIGHT: W (MD10) Franchon Crews Dezurn, July 1
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


8. JESSICA MCCASKILL     Previous ranking: No. 8

RECORD: 12-3-1, 5 KOs
DIVISION: Welterweight undisputed champion
LAST FIGHT: DRAW (SD10) Sandy Ryan, Sept. 23
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


9. NATASHA JONAS     Previous ranking: No. 9

RECORD: 15-2-1, 9 KOs
DIVISION: Welterweight champion
LAST FIGHT: W (SD10) Mikaela Mayer, Jan. 20
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


10. DELFINE PERSOON     Previous ranking: No. 10

RECORD: 49-3, 19 KOs
DIVISION: Junior lightweight
LAST FIGHT: W (UD6) Agustina Marisa Belen Rojas, Nov. 1
NEXT FIGHT: TBA


The formula

The rankings are based on a descending points system, with a first-place vote receiving 10 points, a second-place vote receiving nine points and so on.

Others receiving votes: Yokasta Valle (4), Hyun Choi (2), Franchon Crews Dezurn (1), Skye Nicolson (1).


How our experts voted

Nick Parkinson: 1. Shields, 2. Taylor, 3. Serrano, 4. Cameron, 5. Estrada, 6. Jonas, 7. Mayer, 8. Marshall, 9. McCaskill, 10. Nicolson

Salvador Rodriguez: 1. Taylor, 2. Shields, 3. Serrano, 4. Estrada, 5. Cameron, 6. Marshall, 7. Mayer, 8. McCaskill, 9. Jonas, 10. Valle

Bernardo Pilatti: 1. Shields, 2. Taylor, 3. Serrano, 4. Cameron, 5. Marshall, 6. McCaskill, 7. Jonas, 8. Estrada, 9. Mayer, 10. Crews-Dezurn

Charlie Moynihan: 1. Shields, 2. Serrano, 3. 3. Taylor, 4. Mayer, 5. Cameron, 6. Estrada, 7. Persoon, 8. Marshall, 9. Choi, 10. McCaskill

Claudia Trejos: 1. Taylor, 2. Shields, 3. Serrano, 4. Cameron, 5. Estrada, 6. Mayer, 7. Marshall, 8. McCaskill, 9. Jonas, 10. Persoon

Damian Delgado Averhoff: 1. Shields, 2. Taylor, 3. 3. Serrano, 4. Cameron, 5. Estrada, 6. Mayer, 7. Marshall, 8. Valle, 9. Persoon, 10. Jonas

Andrew Feldman: 1. Shields, 2. Taylor, 3. 3. Serrano, 4. Estrada, 5. Cameron, 6. Marshall, 7. Mayer, 8. McCaskill, 9. Jonas, 10. Persoon


ESPN experts' poll

First place: Shields (5), Taylor (2)

Second place: Taylor (4), Shields (2), Serrano (1)

Third place: Serrano (6), Taylor (1)

Fourth place: Cameron (4), Estrada (2), Mayer (1)

Fifth place: Cameron (3), Estrada (3), Marshall (1)

Sixth place: Mayer (2), Marshall (2), Estrada (1), McCaskill (1), Jonas (1)

Seventh place: Mayer (3) Marshall (2), Jonas (1), Persoon (1)

Eighth place: McCaskill (3), Marshall (2), Estrada (1), Valle (1)

Ninth place: Jonas (3), Mayer (1), McCaskill (1), Persoon (1), Choi (1)

10th place: Persoon (2), McCaskill (1), Jonas (1), Valle (1), Crews-Dezurn (1), Nicolson (1)