Despite an exhausting journey from Córdoba in central Argentina to the northernmost tip of Mexico earlier in the week that included stops in Santiago, Lima and Mexico City and which she admitted had left her drained, Alejandra 'La Locomotora' Oliveras found the means last night – just when her own strength seemed to be failing and the champion (spurred on by chants of 'Mexico! Mexico!') seemed to be rallying in a last desperate attempt to recover lost ground – to wrest the WBC Super Bantamweight belt from the hands of Jackie 'The Aztec Princess' Nava : a devastating left hook that spun the champion through 180 degrees and sent her crashing to the canvas 1 minute and 47 seconds into the eighth round.

As the champion lay hurt on the canvas, receiving medical attention, the Argentinian – whose impressive physique had drawn gasps at the weigh-in when she stripped for the scales – celebrated her triumph with trainer Carlos Tello and her father, Luis Olivares, who had accompanied her on the long trip. The fight – the first ever women's match to headline a pay per view in Mexico – was retransmitted by Fox Sports en Español to the whole of South America.

Whether you believe (with Argentina's Boxeo Boxing) that Oliveras controlled the fight from beginning to end or accept the view of the Mexican press that Nava, after a slowish start in which the challenger seemed stronger, more aggressive and even faster, and a disastrous second round in which she was twice sent to the canvas, won the fifth, sixth and seventh as 'the Locomotive' began to run out of steam, there could be no arguments at the end. Pressing desperately in the belief that victory could still be hers, Nava left herself open for a split second and the Argentinian imposed her will in the most brutal fashion; and dethroned the 'Aztec Princess' in front of her own people and in her own home town.

 

Source: Sergio Abarca Levetty of Notimex (mx.sports.yahoo.com)