Leonela Yudica

Leonela Paola Yúdica, born on September 18, 1988, in Santa Lucía, San Juan, Argentina, is a prominent figure in women’s boxing. Yúdica’s introduction to boxing came at the age of 19, influenced by her uncle Daniel Alcaraz, a former boxer who had to retire early due to health issues. Before boxing, she was involved in soccer, which contributed to her athletic foundation.

She made her professional debut on April 21, 2012, securing a unanimous decision win over Soledad del Valle Frias. Yúdica captured the IBF female flyweight title on December 19, 2014, by defeating Gabriela Bouvier via split decision. She retained the title through multiple defenses, including victories over Tyrieshia Douglas, Soledad del Valle Frias, Carolina Álvarez, and Yunoka Furugawa. In October 2022, Yúdica lost her IBF title to Arely Muciño by split decision. She then moved down in weight to challenge for the WBC and WBA minimumweight titles against Seniesa Estrada in July 2023, but was defeated by a unanimous decision.

Leonela Yúdica emerged from the vibrant hum of San Juan, where community ties run deep and households echo with fútbol and folklore. In Argentina, where sports often lean heavily toward the men’s game, her path as a woman in boxing carves through old expectations. The warmth of her neighborhood, built on shared bread and morning markets, helped shape her. Women’s sports here are not glamourized—they’re tough, grassroots, and full of grit. Yúdica didn’t grow up with golden lights or endorsement deals but with street sounds and a mother’s stern gaze. Her rise isn’t a fairytale—it’s a storm quietly gathering, born from dirt yards, worn gloves, and training rooms where girls are still proving they belong.

On top of her boxing career, Yúdica works as a primary school teacher and plays an active role in the sports department of San Juan, helping push local programs that promote fitness and community health.

Leonela Yúdica uses the jab to gather information, disguise intentions, and constantly test her opponent’s reactions. Whether she’s pawing to the blind, popping to score, or touching to bait a response, her jab is alive—never static, never predictable. It’s a masterclass in economy: clean. Unlike a hook that risks exposure when thrown recklessly, her jab keeps her safe, allowing her to stay defensively sound while remaining offensively active. What makes this even more impressive is how her early years in soccer shaped this control. The endless drills in spacing, pivots, and reading movement across a wide field built her spatial IQ, which now translates seamlessly into the ring. Every pivot, every lean, every slide along the ropes reflects that base. Soccer gave her the ability to move without panic, to read bodies on the fly, and to glide instead of chase. Combined with her tight guard and refusal to waste motion, Yúdica’s control of range and rhythm isn’t just technical—it’s intuitive. Her jab leads the dance, her footwork keeps her one beat ahead, and every decision seems a step deeper into the trap she’s laying.

Yúdica’s sharp eye and timing allow her to slip just off-center and answer with crisp straight counters, often from tight angles. Against more rigid, high-guard styles like those seen in Eastern Europe, she thrives. Yúdica’s discipline, foot positioning, and ability to read feints let her exploit even the smallest opening, turning an opponent’s aggression into her momentum.

Leonela Yúdica exemplifies the strategic prowess of a South American counterpuncher, utilizing to disrupt her opponents’ rhythm. Her boxing style is marked by disciplined footwork and an acute sense of distance, allowing her to effectively counter aggressive adversaries. In her bout against Seniesa Estrada, Yúdica demonstrated her ability to land clean right hands and left hooks, capitalizing on Estrada’s transitions between orthodox and southpaw stances.