Yokasta Valle : the gem of tico boxing
Learn more about Yokasta Valle, the athlete who has revolutionized the world of boxing in Costa Rica.
In Costa Rica, the most followed and most popular sport is soccer. However, in many other sports, athletes have given an excellent performance placing the country very highly.
An example of this is the world of boxing, which has long been dominated by men, until Yokasta Valle arrived to revolutionize the sport.
Yokasta Valle was born in 1992 in Matagalpa, Nicaragua and discovered her passion for boxing at a very early age. At the age of 13, she trained in her community’s gym in order to achieve her dreams and at this age she had her first fight.
Her professional career
In Costa Rica, Yokasta had the opportunity to make her debut in 2014 in Alajuela. In this fight she defeated her opponent, Guadalupe “La Fiera” Atilano, by unanimous decision.
Later in 2017, she faced Japan’s Naoko Fujioka, against whom she had her first loss. Then, 2018 she fought Germany’s Tina Rupprecht for the vacant minimum weight world championship. Unfortunately, she lost the fight again.
Despite these defeats, they have been the only two defeats in her entire professional career, which consists of 29 competitions. This is why Yokasta has aroused the interest and pride of many followers of this sport.
The fight outside the ring
Besides wanting to make history in Costa Rican boxing, Yokasta Valle also wants to make changes in society.
Indeed, she has been very honest with her public and has commented that in her early days she had to deal with discrimination, sexism and xenophobia.
Thanks to her excellent performance in the sport, Yokasta was named this year as a UN “champion”, making her the first Costa Rican athlete to be commemorated with this title.
This title is given to outstanding individuals who represent the values of the organization.
In words of Allegra Baiocchi, UN coordinator:
Yokasta has worked hard and made it to the top of the world. We believe in her, we believe in her struggles and initiatives. The United Nations is honored to join her in advancing the health, welfare, women’s empowerment and rights of migrants in the country.
Yokasta Valle has earned the support and following of many people both Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans. She is a great athlete who has not forgotten her human side and it is something that has also characterized her among other athletes.
I was born in Nicaragua and my family migrated to Costa Rica when I was very young. My roots are there and my heart is here. I bring the best of both countries. Migration is a struggle that goes through my body. Throughout my life I have faced discrimination, prejudice and xenophobia for being a woman and for being a migrant, but my reaction has always been to grow and today I am the World Champion.
Yokasta Valle
Costa Rica has great athletes and it is time to give them more representation.
Sensorial Sunsets
To learn more about other sports in Costa Rica, you may find this article interesting: Emerging sports in Costa Rica: rugby – SensorialSunsets
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