Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy via Getty Images

Gabriela Fundora is coming for the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked spots that have long been reserved for Katie Taylor and Claressa Shields in Uncrowned’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Fundora, of course, may cringe at that thought. She told Uncrowned ahead of her return to the ring Saturday at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California, that she doesn’t fight out of a desire to etch her name in boxing’s history books, but rather for a love of the sport and its fans.

“I personally don’t care for any of that,” Fundora said. “I focus on these fights for the love of boxing itself, to take time for the fans, have a good time and to put on a show.”

Against Alexis Kubick this past weekend, in a defense of her undisputed flyweight world championships, Fundora (now 17-0-0, 8 KOs) did just that.

Gabriela, 23, just like her brother — WBC super welterweight champion Sebastian Fundora, 27 — is a problem. Both tower over their respective opponents, and with extraordinary reach and leverage, they deliver sustained beatings through volume and accuracy. They’re motivated to outdo one another in the ring, and that sibling rivalry continually produces world-class results.

Sebastian recently bludgeoned Tim Tszyu for a second time on July 19, finishing the Aussie in the seventh round to retain his WBC world title. And so, in a homecoming in front of local Coachella Valley fans, the latest round in an eternal game of sibling one-upmanship, Gabriela knew she had to get a stoppage of her own against Kubick in their Golden Boy Promotions co-main event on DAZN. She wanted to remind the world that Sebastian “isn’t the only Fundora who can [fight] like that,” she said.

At 5-foot-9, with an overwhelming 69-inch reach, Gabriela had more than enough strength to maneuver her opponent into vulnerable positions. Then, with unrelenting combinations — a straight left on the jaw, right hook to the body, and another powerful left for good measure — Fundora forced the referee to wave the bout off.

Gabriela secured her stoppage — in the same round as Sebastian's latest over Tszyu — stuck her tongue out and lifted her arms aloft, jumping on the ropes to celebrate.

She wanted a “cool performance” to showcase in front of her childhood friends and family, she said plainly, and delivered like a champion. “It feels great to be back in Coachella and to return with a knockout win,” she told Uncrowned in a statement.

“I knew she would come at me 1,000%, but we came in at a million. I adjusted to her style, trusted my corner, and once they told me I had her hurt, I pressed. I felt I hurt her from the very first punch.

“Now, I’ll talk to my team — Oscar De La Hoya, Eric [Gomez] and Sampson [Lewkowicz] — to see what’s next,” Fundora finished. “I’m even considering moving down a division. We’ll see.”

Regardless of what’s next for Fundora, one thing is clear — she’s on a clear trajectory to rule over boxing's pound-for-pound rankings.

Taylor, currently Uncrowned’s No. 1, is 39 years old and likely at the end of her money-spinning career, with only a possible farewell fight at Croke Park in Dublin left on the horizon.

Shields, Uncrowned’s No. 2, is only 30 and will be far tougher to leapfrog in the rankings.

But Fundora has one thing Shields is struggling to find: Rivals.

I’ve done commentary for the bulk of Shields’ fights on the Swerve Combat channel on Roku, and have found her style extraordinarily fun to describe, notably her bouts against Hanna Gabriels, Ivana Habazin, Savannah Marshall, Christina Hammer and Marie-Eve Dicaire. But Shields has yet track down the kind of marquee rivalry that Taylor had with Amanda Serrano and Chantelle Cameron — the types of bouts that lift both competitors involved, together with the entire sport alongside them.

Fundora has rivals in and around her division.

To Uncrowned, she said she’s very comfortable making the 112-pound flyweight limit, but said post-fight that she’s tempted with a drop to 108 pounds for light flyweight instead. Should she succeed there, she’d become a two-weight world champion.

Bigger fights, though, lie in the weight classes above.

At super flyweight (115 pounds), a fight against undefeated WBO super flyweight champion Mizuki Hiruta awaits, and it's one that could grind the California combat sports scene to a halt, considering Hiruta's growing popularity under the 360 Promotions banner, together with her proximity to Dana White through Tom Loeffler and UFC Fight Pass.

At bantamweight (118 pounds), there are greater challenges against fellow pound-for-pound staples Cherneka Johnson from New Zealand and Dina Thorslund (Uncrowned’s No. 9) from Denmark.

In other words, Fundora is in the sweet spot. 

She has the skills, the size, and, crucially, the rivals to define an era.

Taylor’s twilight is here and Shields still reigns, but the Coachella flyweight is climbing fast with fights that could capture global attention. Whether it’s Hiruta, Johnson or Thorslund in the future, Fundora has the chance to deliver fights that secure legacies. And, if she does, the pound-for-pound crown would be hers.

Boxing on Yahoo! Sports – News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games