Jackie Nava celebrates 20 years of a glittering career

Today, we celebrate superstar pioneer Jackie Nava, first woman champion of the WBC, who is remarkably still active, celebrating 20 years of career, a woman who, epitomizes the Mario Benedetti poem.

The people who you don’t have to push and tell them what to do. They know what needs to be done and do it.

The people who cultivate their dreams until those dreams take on their own reality.
I like the people who have the capacity to measure the consequences of their actions.

The people that risk the certain for the uncertain when chasing a dream.

 I like the people who are just with their peers and themselves.

The people who are thankful for every new day and for the good things that exist in their lives, who live every hour with a good spirit, giving the best of themselves, thankful for being alive, for being able to give away smiles and to offer a helping hand without expecting anything in return.

This is the essential essence of Jackie Nava, a sincere and frank woman, intrepid and persistent, who has never given up when it comes to fighting for and realizing her dreams. Born in Tijuana, Baja California, on April 11, 1980, Jackie showed her interest in sports from an early age, so her parents signed her as Olympic gymnastics at the age of 4; she subsequently shone in track and field and basketball.

However, her passion was in contact sports and at the age of 16, she started her professional career in kickboxing, a discipline in which she established herself as the North American champion.

Fulfilled by her achievements in kickboxing, Jackie set herself a new goal and fresh challenge to become a professional boxer and of course a world champion; so,  she was alternating her architecture career with the sport of gloves, at that time, perhaps without being aware of the magnitude that her name would come to represent in women’s boxing.

Her professional debut was on May 29, 2001, in Honolulu, against Hawaiian Vicky Cozzy, whom she defeated by unanimous decision in four rounds. Quickly, the name of the “Aztec Princess” became known, so much so that in 2005, it came the opportunity that she always dreamed of and above all, the one that got her name in boxing history, since on May 30, – Curiously almost on the same dates as her debut – she was crowned the first world champion of the World Boxing Council by defeating the experienced New Yorker Leona Brown.

Since then, Jackie Nava has become a benchmark of excellence, longevity and brilliance in boxing. A world champion in multiple divisions, a fighter who has set audience records on broadcast television, who to this day has a record of 37 fights won, 16 KO´s, 4 defeats and 4 draws, and despite all of this, she acknowledges that these 20 years of career have swept by faster than the wind. She also assures that these have been years of hard work, effort, of learning to keep going , of being persistent and NEVER giving up.

A professional boxer with excellent technique, a degree in architecture, great wife, loving and dedicated mother, excellent constant friend, a pioneer of women’s boxing, a versatile woman who also stood out and excelled in the political field, as is Jackie Nava, who this May celebrates 20 years of career and 15 years of coronation.

Today all the boxing family celebrates with our champion, an example of achievements, found in the praise of Irma Garcia, Mariana and Lulú Juarez, Pipino Cuevas, Rafael Limón, Rocky Hernandez and David Cuellar,  brimming with respect and admiration, because Jackie is not only a benchmark in boxing but also an inspiration via her exemplary life inside and outside the ring.

Thrilled, but modest and just a little nervous by this great but so deserved surprise; “The Azteca Princess, ” stressed that this celebration is not only her`s,  but also thanks to her team, her coach Miguel Reyes and her husband, who since they were dating encouraged her to progress, plus of course her daughters Frida and Valentina, and the unity of the World Boxing Council, which is her extended and united family.

Touched by the emotional words of WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán who not only showed her his total admiration,  but also reiterated that Green and Gold are her emblem, the Leader together with Mario Mendoza (Jackie’s husband) presented Jackie with a special Commemorative belt, hallmarked by her legendary triumphs.

Continuing with the surprises in this celebration, pre-Hispanic dancers took to the stage, in a salute of honor and pride for the woman who also received the symbolic blessing of the Gods.

As the zenith of this celebration, Jackie cut her cake in the company of all those who gathered at the Museum of Tequila and Mezcal located in the heart of Dr. Garibaldi.

This is how the entire boxing family joined this unique festivity, because Jackie is and will always be our champion. bUT even beyond this, she is our example to follow and the indisputable proof that strength is not only found in physical capacity but in the indomitable will.