boxing

From a sedentary to a boxer, from a local star to a sandwich seller, from an aspiring world champion: this has been the extensive journey of “Leona” Daniela Asenjo.

On June 7, the national fighter Daniela “Leona” Asenjo made history in France: he beat the American Casey Morton by cards and won the super flyweight world title of the International Boxing Organization (IBO).

It is the most important achievement in the career of the native of the Los Ríos region, who has had to battle not only within the ring to enhance her career.

Now, the “Leona” is at the gates of another important battle and for which she has had to row against the current due to the lack of support: defend his belt.

This December 3, at the Valdivia Municipal Coliseum, Asenjo will return to the rings to face the Peruvian Linda Leccawho arrived in Chile promising to surprise and dethrone the national team.

The fight promises to be a party, with an evening that includes men’s and women’s fights, and that can catapult the long career of the local boxer.

A beginning of madness and first obstacles

The “Leona” began her career in sports at the age of 18 -in 2009-, when she ventured into kickboxing after the Valdivia boxing clubs rejected her for only training men.

It was a radical change in his life. He left his sedentary lifestyle and music behind and dedicated himself entirely to training at Club KOwhich she owns today, to focus on her goal of becoming a world champion.

After several years of competition, in 2018 came the first chance to fight for a global belt. With the Latin American title in his possession, he would face Argentina Deborah Dionysiusbut a cervical injury prevented him from getting into the ring.

That did not stop his momentum, but the obstacles that arose in his way began to do so. The lack of private support led him to rethink his career, since finding spaces to defend his Latin American crown and aspire to a world belt was increasingly complicated.

Mixing her career as a boxer with her work as a psycho-pedagogue was no longer an option, so she dedicated herself fully to the sport and to the KO Club, which, unfortunately, has been the target of crime.

Nothing stops the “Leona” Asenjo

But if the “Leona” has learned anything throughout her career, is to never give up. When there were no auspices, he managed to search for them; if there was no money, he knocked on doors and innovated to get it; and, when the resources for the sport were scarce, he tried to get involved in politics.

His name even sounded in March 2022 as an option for the Sports Seremi of the Los Ríos region.

In the meantime, What was about to truncate the dreams of Daniela Asenjo was the covid-19 pandemic.

Without the possibility of opening her gym, without state benefits and unable to compete, the Valdivian woman suffered a lot in the harshest months of the sanitary restrictions.

“We had to change business with my partner, owner of the same gym, selling sandwiches and other kinds of things among friends,” the national fighter explained then.

He even risked everything and took private classes “the bad way”, ignoring the sanitary measures to obtain sustenance and to be able to continue with his preparation for a moment like the one that is coming.

The title was the first step

Incisive, sharp, always forward. This is how Asenjo fought against Casey Morton on March 7in the most important fight of the “Leona” so far.

He already has the world title in his hands, but now comes the most difficult part: retaining it against the threat of his opponents.

He will do it on a deadline, since due to lack of sponsorship he could barely schedule a battle for the title before it is taken from him by the IBO and, with everything ready, he vows to leave everything above the ring.

“I am always going to go up with the mentality of fighting to win, regardless of whether or not the title is at stake.. The motivation is much greater because I am representing my city and my country”, stressed the “Leona”.

It is worth remembering that Daniela Asenjo and the Peruvian Linda Lecca will face each other this Saturday, December 3, at the Valdivia Municipal Coliseum.