Cherneka Johnson (born 3 March 1995) is an Australian professional boxer. Born in New Zealand, she represents Australia in international competition. She was undisputed female bantamweight champion from July 2025 to August 2026 and previously held the IBF female super-bantamweight title.

Early life Johnson was born in Tauranga, New Zealand, to a family of Māori (Ngāti Ranginui) descent. She is the eldest of three, with one brother and one sister. In 2007, aged 11, she moved to Australia and settled on the Gold Coast. Johnson first tried boxing at a local PCYC in 2008 and soon after joined the Albert Boxing Club on the Gold Coast to train under Allan Nicolson Jr alongside future world champions Skye Nicolson and Che Kenneally. She moved to Warrnambool in 2016 in pursuit of a professional boxing career and remained there until 2023 when she relocated back to Queensland and settled on the Gold Coast where she trains in Coolangatta.

Amateur career Johnson began her amateur boxing career in 2011 a few years after she moved to Australia. When fighting in international competitions she would represent Australia. In the four AIBA World Boxing Amateur Championships she has won the 2011 Junior World Championships, came 5th in the 2013 Youth World Championships and reached top 16 in the Elite World Championships in 2012 and 2014. She has won multiple National titles including three Australian national championships and three Golden Gloves championships. Johnson ended her amateur boxing career, competing in over 60 amateur boxing fights.

Amateur boxing titles 2011 AIBA Women's Junior World Boxing Championships Games 2012 China Youth world championships 2014 China elite world championships Five time Queensland State Champion Three time Australian National Champion Three time Golden Gloves Champion

Professional career Johnson made her professional boxing debut in 2016 against Napaporn Ruengsuwan winning the fight by second round stoppage. After two more wins, Johnson ended 2016 with the fourth fight in her career, taking on Thailand boxer Ratsadaporn Khiaosopa. This was the second time in her career where Johnson won the fight by stoppage, but this time in the first round. After a successful 2017, Johnson last fight of the year was against Filipino boxer Gretel de Paz for the WBA Oceania Bantamweight title. Johnson won the fight by unanimous decision. A few months later, Johnson fought for the WIBA World bantamweight title against Thailand boxer Rungnapha Kaewkrachang. Johnson won the fight by stoppage. In August 2018, Johnson competed in her tenth professional boxing fight against Thailand boxer Siriphon Chanbuala. Johnson won the fight by second round Knockout.

In March 2021, Johnson fought Shannon O'Connell for the WBA Gold World Bantamweight title losing by split decision. In April 2022, Johnson defeated Mexican boxer Melissa Esquivel by split decision to win the IBF World Super Bantamweight title, becoming the second Maori, third New Zealand female, fourth New Zealand born and seventh New Zealand citizen to win a major World boxing title. In October 2022, Johnson defended her world title against Susie Ramadan on the Devin Haney vs. George Kambosos Jr II undercard. Johnson won the fight by unanimous decision, becoming the first Maori World champion boxer to successfully defend a world title.

In November 2022, Johnson signed with promoter Lou DiBella under DiBella Entertainment. On 10 June 2023, in London, England, Johnson lost her title to Ellie Scotney by unanimous decision. Johnson became a two-time world champion when she defeated the previously unbeaten WBA female bantamweight World title holder Nina Hughes at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, on 12 May 2024 by majority decision. The victory was marred by confusion when ring announcer Dan Hennessey initially declared Hughes the winner before correcting himself and announcing Johnson as the victor.

In the aftermath, the WBA made Hughes the mandatory challenger for the title and a rematch was scheduled to take place in Sydney, Australia, on 22 March 2025. Johnson won by stoppage in the seventh round.

In her sixth consecutive world title fight, Johnson faced Shurretta Metcalf for the undisputed female bantamweight title on 11 July 2025, at Madison Square Garden in New York. She won by stoppage in the ninth round.

Johnson was scheduled to make the first defense of her undisputed title against Amanda Galle at the Kaseya Center on the undercard of the Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis fight on 14 November 2025. However, the event was cancelled less than two weeks before it was set to take place due Davis' legal issues. The contest was rescheduled to take place at the same venue on 19 December 2025 as part of the undercard of the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua fight. Johnson won by unanimous decision.

She lost her undisputed title to Dina Thorslund via unanimous decision at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 8 August 2026.

Media appearances In 2022, Johnson competed on the reality competition series The Challenge: Australia.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes22Loss19–3Dina ThorslundUD108 Aug 202621Win19–2Amanda GalleUD1019 Dec 202520Win18–2Shurretta MetcalfTKO9 (10), 11 Jul 202519Win17–2Nina HughesTKO7 (10), 22 Mar 202518Win16–2Nina Hughes1012 May 202417Loss15–2Ellie Scotney1010 Jun 202316Win15–1Susie Ramadan1016 Oct 202215Win14–1Melissa Esquivel1020 Apr 202214Loss13–1Shannon O'Connell1013 Mar 202113Win13–0Nurshahidah RoslieUD618 Dec 201912Win12–0Arasa NimnoiTKO1 (6), 9 Aug 201911Win11–0KirtiUD615 May 201910Win10–0Siriphon Chanbuala2 (6), 6 Jul 20189Win9–0Rungnapha KaewkrachangTKO4 (8), 17 Mar 20188Win8–0Gretel de PazUD89 Dec 20177Win7–0Febriyanti LubisTKO2 (8), 21 Oct 20176Win6–0Saowaluk NareepangsriUD524 Jun 20175Win5–0Carol EarlUD618 Mar 20174Win4–0Ratsadaporn KhiaosopaTKO1 (6), 8 Oct 20163Win3–0Daorueng PakkhetanangUD413 Aug 20162Win2–0Atitaya Saisin411 Jun 20161Win1–0Napaporn Ruengsuwan1 (4), 9 Apr 2016

See also List of female boxers List of IBF female world champions List of The Ring female world champions List of female undisputed world boxing champions List of WBA female world champions List of WBC female world champions List of WBO female world champions

References

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