Alejandra “Locomotora” Oliveras was a Four-Division World Champion Boxing Legend

Buenos Aires, Argentina:  Former Argentine boxer Alejandra “Locomotora” Oliveras, winner of four world titles in different categories, died Monday in Argentina at the age of 47, confirmed the director of the hospital where she was hospitalized. The former boxer died in Santa Fe (center) without being able to recover from a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) she suffered on July 14.  Oliveras suffered “a massive pulmonary embolism that led to refractory cardiorespiratory arrest,” explained Bruno Moroni, director of the Cullen hospital.  “Despite the measures taken, unfortunately, the death occurred,” he reported.

Oliveras, born in El Carmen in the province of Jujuy (north), grew up in a humble family and began to fight to defend herself from the blows inflicted on her by the father of her first child, whom she had when she was still a teenager.  “I fell in love at 14 and became a mother at 15. I wanted to get together with that person because I wanted to have a family, and that’s when hell began. He hit me for the slightest thing,” she said in an interview.  “I spent two years suffering, crying. The turning point in her life occurred when her then-partner injured their son. That traumatic experience prompted her to train for self-defense. Thus, at 16, she embarked on a path that began as an act of resistance and eventually became a professional career. “That’s when I was reborn,” she recalled when talking about boxing.  He hit my son once, and that’s when I said, ‘Enough, I don’t want this life. I’d rather be dead than continue like this.’ And I decided to hit him back, and I did.” she added. 

– Record-Breaking Fighter –

Oliveras returned with her son to her parents’ home in a town in Córdoba, got a job as a radio announcer, and one day mentioned on air that she would like to box. The comment was confirmed by a promoter who encouraged her.  She fought as an amateur until she had the opportunity to be a professional boxer and won her first crown, the World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight title, by surprising Jackie Nava as a visitor in Tijuana, Mexico, in May 2006.  “I earned $2,800 for that fight, but I couldn’t do anything with the money because they stole it from me when I returned to Argentina. I was walking into my house and there were two guys waiting for me with a knife,” she said years later.

Trained by the late Amílcar Brusa, former trainer of the legendary Carlos Monzón, Oliveras stood out by winning the world belts at super bantamweight (WBC), lightweight (World Boxing Association, WBA), featherweight (WBO) and super lightweight (WBC), an achievement that would give her a privileged place.  She was recognized by the Guinness Book of Records in 2015 as the first female boxer to win four world titles at different weights, and ended her professional career in 2019 after fifteen seasons, with a record of 33 wins (16 by KO), 3 losses and 2 draws. 

After her retirement, she became involved in politics, opened a gym in Santa Fe for low-income youth, and gave motivational talks.  Beyond her charisma, Oliveras had a true calling to serve: “She dared to go into neighborhoods where many didn’t want to go. Her idea was that every small town could have a gym for kids, to give them an outlet. She dreamed of this because she saw it reflected in her own life of suffering.”

While the boxer became known for her powerful figure in the ring, she also shined for her appearances on the small screen. In 2007, Locomotora made her debut on the dance floor of Marcelo Tinelli’s hit show “Bailando por un sueño” on El Trece.  The boxer appeared on the dance floor accompanied by two men, whom she comically manipulated with her strength. Once in the center, she compared her arm with the host, who, not wanting to be left behind, took off his shirt to confront the athlete.  With controlled movements, Locomotora boxed with Tinelli while the music of Rocky played in the background.