Four Nigerian female boxers have been ranked among the top 10 contenders in their respective weight divisions in the World Boxing Council’s May 2026 women’s rankings, further underlining the growing influence of Nigerian women in global professional boxing, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Leading the Nigerian contingent is Elizabeth Oshoba, who holds the number four spot in the featherweight division with an unblemished professional record of 10 wins, six of which have come by knockout. The 26-year-old, who started her career in Smart Boxing Gym in Ilogbo, Ogun State, has been on a remarkable upward trajectory since becoming the first Nigerian woman to win a world boxing title when she defeated Michela Braga in Copenhagen in January 2024 to claim the WBC Silver featherweight title. Oshoba extended her perfect record to 10-0 as recently as April 5 this year, stopping Chelsey Arnell in the third round — just 42 seconds into the session — in a statement performance under Most Valuable Promotions, the outfit co-led by Jake Paul. Before turning professional in 2022, she had already built a formidable amateur foundation as a six-time Nigerian national champion, a bronze medallist at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, and the first Nigerian boxer since 2006 to reach a Commonwealth Games final, where she claimed silver at the 2022 edition. Also ranked is Toyin Adejumola, placed 10th in the middleweight division with a record of eight wins, six knockouts and one draw, remaining unbeaten in her professional career. Adejumola trained at the same Smart Boxing Gym in Ilogbo alongside Oshoba and has followed a strikingly similar path. Related News Handball: HFN unveils 2026 Premier League, 4×4 Champs Nigeria new cricket coach Mangongo targets 2028 W’Cup Chelle demands more from matchwinner Azeez A multiple gold medallist at the National Sports Festival, she claimed the West African Boxing Union female middleweight title on February 3, 2024 — just days after Oshoba won her world title — in what amounted to a powerful statement about the quality of training at the Ogun State facility. In the heavyweight division, two Nigerians feature. Celina Agwu is ranked fifth with a record of eight wins, all by knockout, and one defeat — a ratio that has established her as one of the most destructive heavyweights in African women’s boxing. Her power and consistency have drawn attention well beyond the continent. Joining her in the top 10 is Bolatito Oluwole, ranked ninth with 11 wins, seven knockouts and two losses. Known as “Black Tito,” Oluwole previously claimed the N1 million Best Boxer prize at GOtv Boxing Night 29, a moment that highlighted the increasing prominence of women in Nigerian boxing at the domestic level before she carried that momentum onto the global stage. The appearance of four Nigerians in the WBC’s monthly rankings across three different weight divisions is a development that would have seemed unlikely just a few years ago, when women’s boxing in Nigeria was largely peripheral. That four fighters from the country can now be found in the upper half of their respective world rankings reflects sustained investment in grassroots development and a new generation of athletes willing to dedicate themselves to the sp ort at the highest level.
