Women’s Ratings Update: Gabriela Fundora improves to No. 3 at flyweight
The flyweight division is one of the most competitive weight classes in women’s boxing, and in such a talent-laden division it is always difficult to move up the ladder in the ratings.
But placing Gabriela Fundora as our new No. 3 was a no-brainer, considering the way in which she all but demolished an established champ like Arely Muciño in five rounds to earn her first world title belt in what looms as an extraordinary career for the freakishly tall 21-year-old Californian.
“What a KO,” said fellow Cali lady Lupi Gutierrez-Beagle. “Just a big wow for our 2017 Beautiful Brawlers champ.”
Cynthia Conte added that “Fundora is a very tall, bright and shining star. She put on one hell of a performance against the reigning champion! They made her quit and three in the towel. Fundora has power, reach, excellent ring IQ, and throws from angles like she’s surrounding you.”
More laudatory comments came from overseas as well, with Argentina’s Yesica Palmetta adding that “Fundora is a boxer of striking size and technique for a weight division that is becoming more and more competitive,” while her compatriot Irene Deserti added that “Gabriela had a brilliant performance, really her best performance so far. Arely put all her warrior heart into it but she was already defeated at the end of the first round.”
Therefore, Fundora is our new No. 3 and Muciño, even after such a terrible loss, slips only to No. 4 in what is a testimony of her greatness and impeccable track record.
Elsewhere in the boxing schedule, junior flyweight legend Yesica Bopp returned to action and put the 112-and-below region on notice with a spectacular display of power against Gabriela Cortes. At age 39, and even after a dismay 2-2 record in her post-motherhood era, Bopp may still have one or two great fights ahead of her.
“It’s good to see Bopp fighting on a high level again,” said columnist Mark Jones. “She’s a Hall of Famer in waiting.”
Diego M. Morilla writes for The Ring since 2013. He has also written for HBO.com, ESPN.com and many other magazines, websites, newspapers and outlets since 1993. He is a full member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and an elector for the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He has won two first-place awards in the BWAA’s annual writing contest, and he is the moderator of The Ring’s Women’s Ratings Panel. He served as copy editor for the second era of The Ring en Español (2018-2020) and is currently a writer and editor for RingTV.com.
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