Tamm Thibeault is Among the New Wave of Female Stars
By David A. Avila
Every year new recruits arrive for women’s boxing. In the past, whenever new pugilists arrived it remained largely unnoticed because of the lack of exposure for the sport.
Today, with the arrival of streaming networks and high-profile promotion companies female prizefighting has more opportunities for exposure. We are in the middle of a new wave of talented young fighters eager to perform.
Most Valuable Promotions has scooped up many of the top female prizefighters and Matchroom Boxing still has several very good female fighters. 360 Boxing Promotions has three very good boxers and Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank still have one female champion in their ranks.
All have been given exposure.
Recently the boxing public received a glimpse of the future.
Here are some of the notable young fighters worth watching. We are only mentioning those we have actually seen perform. Apologies to those fighters on the East Coast who we have not seen in action.
Most of the fighters below are on the western portion of the USA or have been seen on streamed fight cards. They are young and fired up. If you see any of these fighters on a boxing card be sure to check them out. You won’t be disappointed.
I have been covering women’s boxing since the early 1990s and have witnessed the incredible rise in skill level of female fighters. More and more from all parts of the world are arriving every year. Any one of these fighters below is capable of being a world champion.
Tamm Thibeault (4-0, 3 Kos) is a very tall southpaw middleweight boxer out of Quebec, Canada. At 29, Thibeault does not have all the time in the world, but she packs enough power to blast her way to the top.
Just short of 6-feet tall, Thibeault looks more model than fighter. But once the bell rings watch out. She swings for the fences like Vladimir Guerrero and when she connects fighters get lit up. She is a Canadian Olympian who lost to eventual Olympic winner Lauren Price in the quarter finals. That was amateurs but as a pro things are different.
Thibeault is a hitter and usually has a height advantage against anyone in the boxing ring. But she can also box so that is another reason why we expect her to go far. The middleweights are suddenly loaded up and Thibeault is one to watch.
Lupe Medina (12-0, 3 Kos) – At age 21, the Los Angeles-based minimumweight fighter has a strong amateur background and is trained by Manny Robles. She fought four times in 2025 and made good use of the opportunities.
A match up with Rubi Gutierrez seemed to set the fire when Medina struggled but won a split decision victory. That match seemed to wake her up. In the very next opportunity in the boxing ring, a rematch with Lilian Almarez, fans saw a more focused and deadly Medina who cracked a left hook and ended the night for Almarez in the second round.
Finally, fans saw the power and fire that many claimed Medina possessed.
Citlali Ortiz (4-2) – The super middle from Rancho Mirage, Calif. has been around for years but there are not many fighters above 126 pounds in the West Coast. When you train in the desert area of Coachella, you receive very few visitors. But rumors had been emanating for years about the diminutive Ortiz from boxing trainers and managers who had seen her sparring.
Ortiz, 26, finally got her opportunity to perform in a high-profile fight last year against the super middleweight champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn. It looked like a mismatch when they posed in front of each other. But when the bell rang Ortiz showed off her fast hands and defensive skills. Crews bludgeoned her way to victory but it was highly competitive as both fighters exchanged freely and Ortiz had more than just a few moments.
Watching on the sidelines was Claressa Shields and a worried look could be seen on her face as a potential big payout fight against Crews-Dezurn was in danger of disappearing. But after 10 rounds Crews-Dezurn was given the win by majority decision. It was that close of a fight. Ortiz walked out knowing she could hang with the big girls now.
Yadira Bustillos (11-2, 2 Kos) – The fiery minimumweight fighter from Las Vegas had her moment against Yokasta Valle this past December and unloaded against the multi-champion from Costa Rica. Even after the fight ended it seemed the 26-year-old still wanted to duke it out with Valle.
Bustillos is one of those fighters that wants smoke all the time. She is a gunslinger and loves shoot outs. She prefers to bang it out instead of building a win layer by layer. Though only 25 Bustillos seems to be in a hurry.
She is one of those fighters that entertains at all times. You can’t really teach a fighter that quality, it’s something she is born with. A win is not a win with Bustillos, she wants fire and at the end of the match intends to be the last one standing.
Iyana Verduzco (7-0, 1 KO) – The 24-year-old super bantam from Los Angeles had an extensive and impressive amateur career that featured numerous national titles. Now she is in the pros and it’s a little different now. Verduzco fought five times in 2025.
Known as “Right Hook Roxy” the southpaw super bantam knows how to use distance, speed and when to get physical in close quarters. Because of her lengthy amateur career she is accustomed to competition.
Verduzco is trained by her mother Gloria Alvarado who formerly trained Yokasta Valle and the combination works in the pro ranks. Verduzco tends to make fights look easy and is moving up the competition ladder. Her main attribute is a “no fear” attitude that cannot be taught. She has seen everything in the boxing ring before and seems desperate to prove she can succeed in the pros like she did in the amateurs.
Reina Tellez (13-1-1, 5 Kos) – The featherweight from San Antonio, Texas went 12 three-minute rounds with the legendary Amanda Serrano. That sentence in itself describes the amazing talent inside the 22-year-old Tellez.
Serrano knocks out feathers. She has no mercy. Tellez hung in there and provided a showcase of women’s boxing in 2026. Women can fight and Tellez is one of the young guns ready to step forward.
Take another look at the Serrano and Tellez fight and admire the exchanges the two unloaded against each other. It was like watching a master show the student how it’s done and millions got to watch it.
O’Shae Jones (9-0, 3 Kos) a super welterweight out of Toledo, Ohio, Jones is an Olympic bronze medalist who then picked up the IBF and IBO super welterweight world titles by defeating Femke Hermans in November 2024. Jones defended the titles this past July by defeating Elia Carranza by split decision.
Jones, 28, is on the fast track and seeks to become undisputed super welterweight world champion. Boxing is in her blood. She grew up in a boxing gym and family are all involved in the sport.
Pretty soon boxing fans will be watching her in mega fights. The super welterweight division has many talented fighters with many top welters who could move up to add to an even deeper weight class. Jones could be fighting them all.
Elizabeth Oshoba (9-0) this past year Nigeria has stepped up its boxing game as well as a number of neighboring countries in Africa. One of those is super featherweight Oshoba a 26-year-old from Nigeria.
It’s one thing to be undefeated in your native country but Oshoba has displayed her talent in bouts held in the United Kingdom and in Denmark and still remains undefeated. That’s not easy to do when fighting on the road.
Oshoba recently signed with Most Valuable Promotions so boxing fans should be able to get a glimpse of the Nigerian fighter. Is she ready for Amanda Serrano or even Reina Tellez? Those could be compelling match ups. There is also Tiara Brown out there with a world title. Oshoba is in the right place at the right time.
Krystal Rosado (8-1, 2 Kos) the bantamweight from Puerto Rico has immense talent and possibilities. She is the total package. She just needs to focus on winning and not so much on showing all her tools.
After losing to Shurretta Metcalf by decision last October, the perky Boricua jumped right back in the boxing ring and displayed a more focused approach against Tania Walters. The new approach worked perfectly and she returned to the win column.
Rosado is the protégé of Amanda Serrano and has all the tools to be a multi-champion in different weight classes. She has speed, power and agility and when it’s all put together properly Rosado is a perfect fighter.
More Fight News
Canada
Jordan Dobie (6-0) defeated Angelika Oles (3-16) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday Jan. 17. The super light match took place in Edmonton. Also, Klarissa Mootoo (1-0) beat Joanna Fraszczak (1-3) by split decision after four.
Chile
Super feathers Genoveva Candia (1-3-2) and Makarena Arcos (0-0-2) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday Jan. 17. The match was held in Puerto Montt.
China
Yin Yin Au (1-0-1) beat Mei Kei Wong (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Tuesday Jan. 13. The super bantam fight took place in Hong Kong.
On Saturday Jan. 24, super bantams Quiyan Lu (3-0) and Phannaluk Kongsang (18-15-1) meet six rounds at Dalian.
Germany
Jasmin Weissmann (1-3) knocked out Yasmin Al Sayed ()-4) in the first round on Sunday Jan. 18. The heavyweight match was held in Landau.
India
On Wednesday Jan. 21, super feathers Vishakha Vartiya (4-1) and Nishi Vaish (2-3) meet six rounds at New Delhi. Also, bantams Bhumika Chaudhry (1-3) and Monika Singh (10-2) meet six; and super welters Mansi Budhwar (1-0) and Komalpreet Kaur (3-0) meet six.
On Monday Jan. 26, bantams Shiksha Narwal (4-0) and Bharti (0-0) meet four rounds at Gurugram.
Japan
Nana Yamashita (7-2) defeated Nodoka Furukawa (5-2-1) by decision after six rounds on Tuesday Jan. 13. The bantam fight was held in Tokyo.
Nigeria
On Tuesday Jan. 20, super lights Blessing Oluwasegun (7-2) and Fatimah Sulaimon (0-3) meet six rounds at Lagos. Also, cruisers Chidimma Nmeregini (1-0) and Latifat Salami (2-2) meet four.
South Korea
On Sunday Jan. 25, flies Su Been Kim (0-0) and Ha Eun Park (0-0) meet four rounds at Incheon.
Thailand
On Sunday Jan. 25, feathers Yanyu Li (5-5-2) and Thunwarat Janse (0-1) meet six rounds at Thanyaburi.
United Kingdom
Cassidy Todd (6-0) won by decision after six rounds versus Antonia Molina (4-27-2) on Thursday Jan. 15. The featherweight fight was held in Glasgow, Scotland.
Uruguay
On Saturday Jan. 24, feathers Elizabeth Cabrera (6-2) and Luz Cordoba (2-3-2) meet six rounds at Maldonado. Also, lights Elizabeth Sellanes (1-3-1) and Daniela Tellis (0-2) meet six.
USA
Super lights Chelsey Anderson (8-0-1) and Alejandra Rojas (5-3-3) fought to a draw after eight rounds on Saturday Jan. 17. The match was held in San Jacinto, Calif.
On Saturday Jan. 24, super feathers Elvina White (6-1) and Celene Roman (6-4-1) meet four rounds at Commerce, Calif.
On Saturday Jan. 24, light flies Teaira Skinner (0-0) and Mollie Backowski (0-5) meet four rounds at Richmond, Virginia.