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5'1" Alejandra Marina Oliveras is known as 'La Locomotora' (The Locomotive).
She was born on March 20, 1978 in El Carmen in Jujuy, Argentina. She moved to Alejandro Roca
in the Province of Córdoba at age 2, and since January 2006 has lived
in the suburb of General Bustos in the city of Córdoba itself.
Alejandra grew up as one of seven children in
her family. As a child, she used to fight with the boys and beat them at arm
wrestling.
According to Rubén Casanova of Box Latino, it was "love for Mike Tyson" that brought her into
boxing. "When Tyson was released from prison, I said to myself 'I'm
going to give it a go' " she said. She
began boxing in Villa Maria in 2003 while Argentina was in the grip of a deep
economic depression, at a time when she could not even afford to buy herself a
pair of shorts.
Alejandra is trained by Carlos Tello at Polideportivo Corral de Palos in Córdoba, a gym which boasts half
of Argentina's recent stock of world champion boxers.
After reportedly having 38 amateur fights in Córdoba, she made her pro debut on August 26, 2005 at Villa Diego in Santa Fe,
Argentina. "La Locomotora" weighed in at 126 lbs and defeated María del Carmen Potenza (126 lbs) by a second-round TKO.
On September 9, 2005 at La Carlota in Córdoba, she won a four-round unanimous
decision over Maria del Carmen Montiel of Buenos AIres, who fell to 1-4-0 (1 KO) (three of her
losses were to Marcel Acuña, for whom she had been a
sparring partner).
On November 11, 2005 at Hipólito Buchardo in Córdoba Alejandra won a four round
unanimous decision over Silvia Gervasi of Buenos Aires, who fell to 0-2.
On January 6, 2006 at the Anfiteatro Municipal in Rio Cuarto, Argentina, Alejandra
(120¼ lbs) won by a third-round technical decision over María del Carmen Potenza
(116¾ lbs) in a rematch of her pro debut fight.
On February 17, 2006 at E.N.E.T. Nº 1 in Laboulaye, Argentina Alejandra (127¾
lbs) fought to a four-round split decision with Bettina Garino (131¼ lbs) of Río
Tercero, Córdoba, Argentina, who was making her pro debut.
On March 24, 2006 at La Carlota in Córdoba, Alejandra (123½ lbs) fought to a
four-round draw in a rematch with Bettina Garino (124½ lbs).
On April 7, 2006 at Club Pabellón in Alejandro Roca, Córdoba, Alejandra (124½
lbs) won a first-round TKO over an opponent who is something of a
mystery. Her name was given in some reports as "Miryam Da Silva" (125¼ lbs) of Brazil,
but others have said that she was actually Brazilian junior middleweight Lurival De Lima, then 2-0 (1 KO)
... who
indeed fought at 148 lbs
just under a month later.
This 6-0-1 record compiled entirely in Argentina made Oliveras a "dark horse"
underdog going into her next fight
- a WBC World Junior Featherweight title bout with "Aztec Princess"
Jackie Nava in Nava's home town of Tijuana, Mexico.
Going into this fight, Nava was
13-1-1 (8 KOs) as a pro boxer, and was also a world champion kickboxer with
plenty of big-fight experience. Nava also seemed quietly confident a week
before the fight, tellnig local media "I know she's unbeaten but she's
only fought people in her own country. This is where her luck runs out ... no one is coming to
Tijuana, to my country, and taking from me something it cost me so much hard
work to obtain."
After a long trip to Mexico from Argentina ... "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit tired but up
there in the ring, it'll all be forgotten; I'll be transformed" , Alejandra
gave pre-fight interviews in which she intimated that the female boxing scene in Argentina is not lively ... "we have
lots of women who practice amateur boxing but very few who do it professionally"
...
and that the sport is frowned upon there ... "I don't know what it's like
in the rest of the world; that's why I've come to fight in Mexico to show that
women's boxing offers quality like men's".
Oliveras also artfully complimented her more famous opponent … "I'm very happy to be fighting the
best champion … Jackie is a great fighter and a very pretty girl but I've
come to capture the title ... I love boxing and being given an opportunity to fight
the best boxer in the world is a dream come true for me … Nava's a good-looking
woman; but up there in the ring, it'll be our fists and nothing else that
determines which of the two of us triumphs."
Continuing a charm offensive for the benefit of Mexican fans, "La Locomotora" added "I'm delighted by the men in
Mexico and the food. I'm definitely coming back to fight here ... this is the
first time I've visited this city and I'm very happy to be here. I promise you:
it will be a great fight. Where would world boxing be without the Mexicans?"
At the weigh-in on May 19, 2006 in the offices of the Comisión de Box, Lucha Libre
y Kick Boxing, Oliveras and Nava tipped the scales at identical weights: 53.9 kg. One journalist commented that he had
rarely seen so many officials and photographers at a weigh-in – no doubt due to the fact that the
world title fight would be the first pay-per-view boxing telecast
in Mexico to be headlined by women. Oliveras' impressive physique drew gasps, followed by applause. She seemed
confident as the two boxers shook hands and wished each other luck, with no bragging and neither making a
prediction, both saying: "ganará la mejor" ("may the best woman win").
On May 20, 2006 Alejandra stunned the partisan crowd of 3500 at Palenque del Hipódromo
in Tijuana ... and much of the women's
boxing world ... when she decisively knocked Jackie Nava out at 1:47 in the
eighth (after previously knocking her down twice in the second) to claim the WBC
Junior Featherweight (Super Bantamweight) title.
WBAN correspondent Ewan Whyte compiled the following round-by round report from Spanish-language ringside sources:
- Nava is visibly disconcerted by the constant pressure to which she
is subjected in the first as well as by the weight of punch of her
challenger. Contrary to expectations, Oliveras is fast, moves well and
hits Nava (who had seen no video of Oliveras) from unexpected
angles.
- Oliveras had already connected several times to the head before the
first knockdown. Nava is felled by a
right cross and again by a left that
penetrated her guard. One (Tijuana)
source said that Nava wasn't hurt by either punch and
got up quickly but the rest (and Nava herself) say she was hurt.
After the first knockdown Oliveras went for the kill throwing a succession
of combinations. Nava just beat the count the second time - she fell into
the ropes before she hit the canvas – and it seems she was lucky to make it to the
bell.
- Nava's face was red from the punches she had taken but she had a
stroke of luck: Oliveras broke a knuckle of her right hand and had to
finish the fight one-handed.
- Oliveras was still in charge – (Serigo Abarca Levetty of Notimex puts it
down to 'tremendous physical conditioning') Daniel Antuna sees Nava moving
better and thinks Oliveras is beginning to look worried.
- Chants of 'Mexico! Mexico!' begin to lift Nava (Christian Espinosa):
Nava finally begins to display her characteristic speed just as Oliveras
began to slow and be driven backwards.
- Jackie begins to score with her left (Oliveras takes a few punches in
the face) and goes to work on the liver in characteristic style. Nava has
the initiative but she makes a mistake and is hit full in the face at the end
of the round.
- Nava's best round, from all accounts.
- Just when it looks like Nava might be on the way to leveling the action,
Oliveras instead levels Nava - with a left to the jaw as the champion is
coming forward and about to throw a right. Nava falls
face down on the canvas and referee Tony Crebs of the USA realizes at once that
she is badly hurt and that there's no point in counting. Crebs signals a KO,
moves Nava
to a reclining position and calls in the doctors.
Nava never loses consciousness but is very dazed and remains on her back
for around 3 minutes receiving medical attention as the Argentinians
celebrate. Nava gets up and is warmly applauded, tears rolling down
her cheeks. She goes over to congratulate Oliveras and they embrace.
Oliveras is also sobbing.
Rubén Casanova of Box Latino characterized Oliveras's performance
as "rapid, precise, and devastating".
Alejandra's own account of the fight revealed that she had broken
a knuckle in her right hand in the third ... "I don't like studying
my rival (i.e.'feeling-out' rounds), I prefer to fight from the opening
bell. In the third round, I connected with her head and broke (my knuckle) and had to
fight the next five rounds with the
left only. I knew I was going to win because I wanted it so much and because
of all the sacrifices I've had to make. I knew it would be a hard fight
because Mexicans are very tough and continue fighting until the last minute
– this is certainly the case with Jackie Nava who is 'pura sange' (a
thoroughbred). We had the entire crowd against us but I had 'el profesor' (Carlos
Tello) and my father (Luis Oliveras) and that was all the support I needed. When I broke my
hand, I thought of (Omar) Narváez and 'la Chapa' (Carolina Gutiérrez)
because I want(ed) to be a champion like them'".
"They (the crowd in Tijuana) were quite upset by the defeat
of Nava but they were big enough to appreciate my performance and accept my
victory, because I was better than her. Jackie is a great boxer; I felt her hands like never before; I felt
like it was a man that was hitting me; luckily I took the initiative and won
by knockout". She added in her own account of the knockout
that Nava was out cold before she hit the canvas
and so badly concussed that she didn't understand why they had given the
belt to Oliveras: "She asked me for it. When they explained to her what
had happened, she burst into tears".
The fight was retransmitted by Fox Sports en Español to the whole of South America.
Oliveras improved to 7-0-1 (3 KOs)
with the win while Nava fell to 13-2-1 (8 KOs). Post fight,
Oliveras said: "All this is an enormous dream for me. I've beaten one of
the best boxers in the world. I am very grateful to have been given this
opportunity, which came very early in my career, but I was able to seize it;
and now the belt's on its way to Argentina."
On her triumphant return to Córdoba, Oliveras was delayed at
the airport by a crowd of journalists and well-wishers and given an official
reception by Intendente Luis Juez.
Oliveras said "I want the people of Córdoba to know me. I proud that the crown is
now here in Córdoba. I'm going to carry on and remain the champion for many
more years." Echoing a
famous moment in
Argentinian soccer history, Oliveras christened her knockout left fist
"The Hand of God".
She is undergoing treatment for the injury to her right hand
at the Hospital San Roque (reports say that she
broke the metacarpal and the knuckle) and will be out of action for about 3
months.
She sees the hallmark of Argentinian (female) fighters as "We're very
tough (battle-hardened)… For us, it isn't a sport but something deeper.
What's more we're very strong and we love to win."
Oliveras has two sons: Carlos (12) and Alexis
(8), at the time of winning her world title. When she is not boxing she works in a gymnasium teaching aerobics, aerobox, salsa and merengue -
"anything with Caribbean rhythms in it; I'm
active the whole time; I don't just box; that's why I'm so fit".
When asked whether her impressive physique is the result of her work in
the gym, she replies "Exactly. I have a great fondness for the gym."
Working the media in Argentina following her
win, Oliveras said that she looking for a man (a 'new conquest') "Let's hope they're listening in Buenos Aires because I
need a boyfriend". She also launched an appeal to all women to take
up boxing and stop being the weaker sex, so they can defend themselves
against their husbands and boyfriends. (Perhaps someone needs to tell her
some more about Mike Tyson?)
She also offered to fight Marcela Acuña for free
("for the honor of winning") during a Canal 9 TV link-up between Acuña
in Argentina and
Oliveras in Tijuana. Acuña, who was there to talk about the state of Argentinian women´s boxing, congratulated Oliveras and challenged her to a
unification fight. Oliveras now says that she has bigger fish
to fry than Acuña: "When I went to Mexico, I was a complete unknown
with everything against me. What could I possibly have to fear now from La
Tigresa -- and in my own country? I think that for the moment I have
bigger fish to fry. Don't forget that Laila Alia and I hold the most
important titles on Earth: the WBC ones. I'm out to fight the best; if La
Tigresa is on that route, I have no problem."
On October 13, 2006 at Club Sportivo América,
Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina, Alejandra (121 lbs) won a ten-round
unanimous (98-93,98-91,98-91) decision over Anays Gutierrez Carrillo (122
lbs) of Barranquilla, Colombia in a defense of her WBC Junior
Featherweight title.
On December 22, 2006 at the Lawn Tennis
Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Alejandra (119½ lbs) won by an
eight-round split (75-77,77-75,77½-75½) decision over over Claudia Andrea
Lopez (122 lbs) of Trelew, Argentina. Lopez, who may be better known as a kickboxer,
fell to 5-2-0 (0 KO's).
On March 3, 2007 at the
Orfeo Superdome in Córdoba, central
Argentina, Alejandra (121½ lbs)
fought to a 10-round draw with Jackie Nava (121½
lbs) of Mexico in a rematch for the WBC Junior Featherweight title.
According to WBAN correspondent Ewan Whyte, "Twenty
minutes weren't enough to separate challenger Jackie Nava of Mexico
and WBC champion Alejandra Oliveras of Argentina and the judges couldn't
either, so the local girl keeps the title. As was the case in their
previous meeting when she fought for six rounds with a broken hand,
Oliveras again displayed fantastic courage against an opponent with
superior technique; this time the handicap was a swelling that left her
unable for much of the fight to see out of her right eye and especially
vulnerable therefore to left hooks." Nava's record
moved to14-2-2 (9 KOs).
On August 4, 2007, at the Club
Central Argentino in Cordoba, Argentina, Alejandra (119½ lbs) won a
10-round unanimous decision over Adriana Salles (120¼ lbs) of Brazil.
Salles fell to 8-2-1 (2 KO's).
On July 11,
2008 at Club Defensores de Villa Lujan in Tucuman, Argentina, after nearly a
year of inactivity, Alejandra Oliveras returned to the ring and won an
eight-round unanimous decision over Carmen Montiel. According to the MDZ
Online, Oliveras was none too impressive - they stated that Montiel
dominated various phases of the fight and had Oliveras down in the fourth.
At the end, Oliveras asked for the microphone and tried to explain that
despite the knockdown she was superior to Montiel but she was unable to make
herself heard above the booing and whistling. The 43-year-old Montiel fell to 2-12-1 (1
KO) with this loss.
On November 7,
2008 at Polideportivo Corral de Palos in Cordoba, Argentina, Alejandra
Oliveras won by a TKO when Michelle Larissa Bonassoli or Curitiba, Brazil
retired from the scheduled six-round contest at the start of the fifth
round. According to reports translated by WBAN correspondent Ewan Whyte,
"By all accounts Olveras won the
first and the fourth rounds, and Bonassoli the second. El Commercial even
gave the Brazilian the third round, which would mean the scores were even at
the time the Brazilians threw in the towel, but that only illustrates the
absurdity of the system. If Bonassoli won the second, it was simply because
she was faster and landed more punches, but none that hurt. 'Oliveras was
aggressive but disorganized', according to
La Voz del Interior, 'and
made technical mistakes that, left uncorrected, will expose her to risk.
Against Bonassoli, these didn’t matter because the latter’s chief concern
was to avoid being overwhelmed. And this, indeed, is what happened in the
fourth, when the hugely muscular Oliveras connected with a hook to the liver
that (in the view of
Boxeo.org) marked the
beginning of the end. The Brazilian managed to struggle on – just – but she
was in a woeful state, and, unable now to miss, the WBC champion pounded her
without mercy, trying out every weapon in her arsenal as she went for the
kill. Bravely, barely able now to stand, the Brazilian tottered back to her
corner as the bell rang; level, perhaps on the scorecards, but broken beyond
repair. The bell rang for the fifth. Bonassoli remained seated, and Oliveras,
‘grief-stricken’ as La Voz termed it,
waited alone like a jilted lover in the centre of the dance-floor, imploring
the Brazilian with theatrical gestures to come back out, so they could carry
on where they’d left off."
Bonasolli fell to 3-3 (3 KO's) with the
loss.
On December 4, 2008 at Estadio
Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina, arch-rival Marcela
Acuna (121 lbs) from Buenos Aires won a hard-fought 10-round unanimous
(95-94,97-93,98-91) decision over Alejandra
(120 lbs) to unify the WBA and WBC junior featherweight titles.
Acuña improved to 31-5 (16 KO's)
while Oliveras fell to
12-1-2 (4 KO's).
Many thanks to Ewan Whyte
for his translations of Spanish-language media sources used for this
profile --- Dee
Other Alejandra Oliveras links
To check out fight reports, complete up-to-date boxing records, with huge digital photos you can go to
the WBAN Records Member Site
Page last updated:
Monday, 08 December 2008 |
