One of the best stories of 2022 was an explosion of top-tier matchmaking in women’s boxing. While women’s boxing may not have the depth of the men’s side as yet, the most anyone can ask for is to see the best in the sport facing off regularly.

We got a whole lot of that last year on all points of the scale with unification fights in multiple weight classes from strawweight to middleweight, the crowning of a new undisputed super middleweight champion, and the biggest women’s fight of all time in Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano.

2023 won’t start with a breather.

On Friday, 32-year old WBC light flyweight titlist Kim Clavel (16-0, 3 KO) and 28-year old Jessica Nery Plata (28-2, 3 KO) will lock horns to keep 2022’s momentum going (ESPN+, 7 PM EST). It’s one of the best matches possible in their division. Clavel is rated No. 2 and No. 3 in the division by LinealBoxingChampion.com and Ring, respectively; Plata sits at No. 3 and No. 5. Clavel has never lost while Plata enters with seven straight wins. 

Of note, the winner will be the only major titlist left in the division barring a draw.

This development comes in the wake of a clash between unified titlists in November. On the undercard of Regis Prograis-Jose Zepeda, IBF/WBO strawweight titlist Yokasta Valle (27-2, 9 KO) moved to Jr. flyweight to unseat the IBF/WBO titlist, Evelyn Bermudez. Rather than stay up the scale, Valle vacated the belts she won and returned to 105 lbs. 

Even with Valle gone, the space between 105-112 pounds in women’s boxing is one full of intrigue. No matter who wins this weekend, the number one fighter at both strawweight and Jr. flyweight in both the Ring and LBC rankings is likely to remain the same.

That fighter, 30-year old Seniesa Estrada (23-0, 9 KO) might be the best fighter in the world under featherweight. Estrada, the WBA titlist at strawweight, is the only person to defeat lineal flyweight queen Marlen Esparza and previously held the WBO light flyweight belt as well.

Estrada versus the Clavel-Plata winner could crown a clear world champion at light flyweight. A clash with Valle at strawweight would see a three-belt unification with the last woman to defeat Valle, Tina Rupprecht (12-0-1, 3 KO), waiting in the wings with the WBC strap. Estrada moving up to flyweight would give Esparza a chance to avenge her only defeat. Any of all of these matches would be excellent. 

This being women’s boxing, if trends hold from last year we are likely to see at least one of them. Matchmakers can throw any combination of these fighters together over this short seven pound span and get quality results.

They’ve been doing it already. There’s no reason to think it will stop now. 

On a weekend where the boxing calendar is light, Clavel-Plata is a chance for two lesser known names in the women’s game to have a spotlight to themselves. With that spotlight, they carry the momentum of the tremendous year that was into a year that will be hard pressed to top it. Early matchmaking, like this fight and the upcoming Amanda Serrano-Erika Cruz unification at featherweight in February, display that the women’s side of the sport is set to try.

If all anyone can ask is for the best fights to be made, women’s boxing is delivering. 

It’s their new normal.            

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com