The smaller divisions have always been sparsely populated with figures, but there is one that has never had an Argentine champion, and that is the 102 pounds, the atom weight. However, today there is a young woman ready to add a new page in the book of Argentine women’s boxing.
In the search for information for my second book “Abran Paso. 20 years of women’s boxing in Argentina”, written with my colleague Irene Deserti, the first and only women’s bantamweight world champion was Yesica “Tuti” Bopp. But beyond the names that have been bidding for a position, without success, due to economic, maternal or survival responsibilities, there have been no other names in this weight that have been crowned.
And this could change…
Last August 5, while at the Central Gym in Kobe, Japan, a new world champion was consecrated by the World Boxing Association, more precisely, we are talking about the Japanese Yuko Kuroki, who dethroned the Aztec Montserrat Alarcón in a majority decision of the judges, winning the unification. On the other side of the globe, in the country of the end of the world, 31-year-old Jennifer “La Hormiga” Meza. She shed tears of celebration for winning the vacant FEDELATIN WBA belts. Two coronations on the same day: one that reflected the history of the category where oriental boxers have always been the owners and another one that gave fire to the hope of adding a new glory.
The first world champion registered at 102 pounds by the pioneer organization was the representative of Osaka, also Japan, of course, Mari Ando when on September 22, 2011 she beat Amara Naktaku in Tokyo and the first Latin pioneer to win the scepter was Montserrat Alarcón, also the first from Mexico.
“The truth is that in this category I feel good. I have a very strict training and nutrition plan, because it is not only about making weight, but also about performing and fighting 10 rounds”, being aware of the challenge and determined with the purpose, “La Hormiga” gave warm statements after that war at the beginning of August that she fought together with her opponent from Venezuela Yoselin Fernández at the stadium of the Argentine Boxing Federation.
Why not dream of an absolute title? “I had already seen Japan’s Yuroki fight. I look good and obviously it would be a great opportunity if I can fight her. It would be to fulfill a dream and make history for my country”.
Meza had already won the FEDELATIN title in minimum for the beginning of 2023 against Johana Zúñiga and then marked a milestone by being the protagonist of the first atomweight title fight in Argentina.
So far, Jennifer Meza has 8 victories with 3 definitions before the limit and only 3 defeats. With a temperamental style, tough, with great determination, today she has managed to position herself as number 3 in the WBA atom ranking and hopes one day to be able to fly her flag at the top of the division.
