Yessica Chávez Valencia (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈɟ͡ʝesikaˈt͡ʃaβes]; born 15 July 1988) is a Mexican professional boxer. She is a former world champion in two weight classes, having held the IBF female light flyweight title from 2011 to 2013 and the WBC female flyweight title from 2015 to 2017. She also challenged for the WBC female light flyweight title in 2014 and the WBC female super flyweight title in 2019.

Professional career

Chávez made her professional debut on 12 June 2006, scoring a fourth-round technical knockout (TKO) victory against Maribel Cruz in Cancún, Mexico.

After compiling a record of 5–0–2 (1 KO), she suffered her first defeat, losing by points decision (PTS) over six rounds against Ibeth Zamora Silva on 7 June 2008 in Toluca, Mexico. She came back from defeat with a four-round PTS win against Magdalena Leija in November, before challenging Yésica Bopp for the WBA interim female light flyweight title on 7 March 2009 at the Gimnasio Municipal No. 1 in Puerto Madryn, Argentina. Chávez suffered her second defeat, losing by a shutout unanimous decision (UD) over ten rounds, with all three judges scoring the bout 100–90.

Following the defeat to Bopp she secured three wins, one by knockout (KO), before defeating Susana Cruz Pérez via split decision (SD) to capture the vacant WBC-NABF female light flyweight title on 2 October 2010 at the Coliseo Olimpico de la UG in Guadalajara, Mexico. She next fought Esmeralda Moreno for the Mexican interim, and WBC Silver female light flyweight titles on 19 February 2011 at the Deportivo Trabajadores del Metro in Iztacalco, Mexico. Chávez lost the bout by UD, with all three judges scoring it 98–92.

In her next fight she challenged IBF female light flyweight champion, Irma Sánchez, on 16 April 2011 at the World Trade Center in Boco del Río, Mexico. Chávez defeated Sánchez via SD to capture her first world title, with two judges scoring the bout 99–91 and 97–93 in favour of Chávez while the third scored it 96–95 to Sánchez. She successfully defended the title three times, winning two by stoppage, followed by a UD victory against Linda Soto in a non-title fight in July 2011 before losing the title outside of the ring in September (stripped or vacated).

In her next fight she defeated former world title challenger, Kanittha Kokietgym, via shutout UD to capture the lightly regarded vacant WBF interim female light flyweight title on 10 November 2012 at the Estadio Morelos in Ecatepec, Mexico. All three judges scored the bout 100–90 in favour of Chávez.

She next faced Irma Sánchez in a rematch on 23 February 2013 at the Centro de Convenciones in Ixtapa, Mexico, with the vacant WBC Silver female light flyweight title on the line. Chávez defeated Sánchez for a second time, this time by UD with two judges scoring the bout 98–92 and the third scored it 99–91. Her first defence of the title came against former foe and reigning WBA and WBO female light flyweight champion, Yésica Bopp, on 1 June at the Centro Civico in Ecatepec. Bopp's WBA and WBO titles were not at stake, only Chávez' WBC Silver title. Chávez gained revenge over Bopp, making the score 1–1 with a UD victory. Two judges scored the bout 97–93 and the third scored it 96–95. Chávez scored a ten-round UD win in a non-title fight against former world champion Tenkai Tsunami in July, before making the second defence of her WBC Silver title against former world champion Arely Muciño in November, retaining the title through a split draw.

She moved up to flyweight following the draw to Muciño, scoring a UD victory in a rematch with Tsunami in April 2014 before defeating former world champion, Melissa McMorrow, by UD to capture the WBC International flyweight title on 23 August at the Convention Center Surman Villa de las Flores in Coacalco, Mexico, with the judges' scorecards reading 97–93, 97–94 and 96–94.

She moved back down to light flyweight to challenged the WBC champion, Ibeth Zamora Silva, on 22 November at the Plaza de los Martíres in Toluca. Chávez failed in her attempt at a second light flyweight world title, losing by UD, with all three judges scoring the bout 98–92.

Following defeat to Silva she moved back up to flyweight, defeating Norj Guro by UD in April 2015 and Maria Magdalena Rivera by UD in June to capture the vacant WBC International title for a second time, before challenging newly crowned WBC female flyweight champion, Arely Muciño, in a rematch on 19 September at the Emiliano Zapata Sports Center in Ecatepec. Chávez captured her second world title, becoming a two-weight world champion via UD. The judges' scorecards read 99–91 and 98–92 twice. She went on to successfully defend the title six times, scoring wins over former world champions Simona Galassi, Naoko Fujioka and Esmeralda Moreno twice.

She moved up to super flyweight for her next fight, challenging WBC champion Guadalupe Martínez Guzmán on 27 April 2019 at the Centro Regional de Deporte de Las Américas in Ecatepec. Chávez failed in her attempt at becoming a three-weight world champion, losing by SD. One judge scored the bout 96–94 in favour of Chávez while the other two scored it 97–93 and 96–94 in favour of Guzmán.

International Boxing Hall of Fame

In December 2024, it was announced she had been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Professional boxing record

40 fights32 wins5 losses
By knockout40
By decision285
Draws3
No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
40Win32–5–3Mexico Susy Kandy SandovalUD817 July 2021Mexico Gimnasio TV Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico
39Win31–5–3Mexico Jaqueline Mucio MunozUD1029 May 2021Mexico Grand Hotel, Tijuana Centros, Mexico
38Loss30–5–3Mexico Guadalupe Martínez GuzmánSD1027 Apr 2019Mexico Coliseo Olimpico de la UG, Guadalajara, MexicoFor WBC female super flyweight title
37Win30–4–3Mexico Esmeralda MorenoUD1030 Sep 2017Mexico Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Zapopan, MexicoRetained WBC female flyweight title
36Win29–4–3Colombia Ana ArrazolaUD1013 May 2017Mexico Gimnasio Nuevo León, Monterrey, MexicoRetained WBC female flyweight title
35Win28–4–3Japan Naoko FujiokaUD101 Oct 2016Mexico World Trade Center, Boca del Río, MexicoRetained WBC female flyweight title
34Win27–4–3Mexico Esmeralda MorenoMD1023 Jul 2016Mexico Deportivo Trabajadores del Metro, Mexico City, MexicoRetained WBC female flyweight title
33Win26–4–3Mexico Vanesa Lorena TabordaUD105 Mar 2016Mexico Coliseo Olimpico de la UG, Guadalajara, MexicoRetained WBC female flyweight title
32Win25–4–3Italy Simona GalassiTD9 (10), 0:4212 Dec 2015Mexico Estadio Centenario, Los Mochis, MexicoRetained WBC female flyweight title; Fight stopped after Galassi cut from accident head clash
31Win24–4–3Mexico Arely MuciñoUD1019 Sep 2015Mexico Palenque de la Feria, Durango City, MexicoWon WBC female flyweight title
30Win23–4–3Mexico Maria Magdalena RiveraUD1027 Jun 2015Mexico Gimnasio de la AUT, Tampico, MexicoWon vacant WBC International female flyweight title
29Win22–4–3Argentina Norj GuroUD1011 Apr 2015Argentina Gimnasio Municipal Number 1, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
28Loss21–4–3Mexico Ibeth Zamora SilvaUD1022 Nov 2014Mexico Gimnasio Beto Estrada, Piedras Negras, MexicoFor WBC female light flyweight title
27Win21–3–3United States Melissa McMorrowUD1023 Aug 2014Mexico Toluca, MexicoWon vacant WBC International female flyweight title
26Win20–3–3Japan Tenkai TsunamiUD1026 Apr 2014Mexico Centros de Espectaculos Titanes, Piedras Negras, Mexico
25Draw19–3–3Mexico Arely MuciñoSD109 Nov 2013Mexico Puerto Vallarta, MexicoRetained WBC Silver female light flyweight title
24Win19–3–2Japan Tenkai TsunamiUD1027 Jul 2013Mexico Cancún, Mexico
23Win18–3–2Argentina Yésica BoppUD101 Jun 2013Mexico Monterrey, MexicoRetained WBC Silver female light flyweight title
22Win17–3–2Mexico Irma SánchezUD1023 Feb 2013Mexico Salon Marbet Plus, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, MexicoWon vacant WBC Silver female light flyweight title
21Win16–3–2Mexico Kanittha KokietgymUD1010 Nov 2012Mexico Arena Azteca Budokan, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, MexicoWon WBF interim light flyweight title
20Win15–3–2Mexico Linda SotoUD819 Jul 2012Mexico Cancún, Mexico
19Win14–3–2Thailand Teeraporn PannimitTKO5 (10), 0:5514 Jan 2012Mexico Coliseo Olimpico de la UG, Guadalajara, MexicoRetained IBF female light flyweight title
18Win13–3–2Mexico Yesenia Martinez CastrejonUD1010 Sep 2011Mexico Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Zapopan, MexicoRetained IBF female light flyweight title
17Win12–3–2Colombia Mayelis AltamarTKO5 (10), 0:432 Jul 2011Mexico Gimnasio Nuevo León, Monterrey, MexicoRetained IBF female light flyweight title
16Win11–3–2Mexico Irma SánchezSD1016 Apr 2011Mexico World Trade Center, Boca del Río, MexicoWon IBF female light flyweight title
15Loss10–3–2Mexico Esmeralda MorenoUD1019 Feb 2011Mexico Deportivo Trabajadores del Metro, Mexico City, MexicoFor Mexican interim female and vacant WBC Silver female light flyweight titles
14Win10–2–2Mexico Susana Cruz PerezSD102 Oct 2010Mexico Coliseo Olimpico de la UG, Guadalajara, MexicoWon vacant WBC-NABF light flyweight title
13Win9–2–2Mexico Katia GutiérrezMD826 Jun 2010Mexico Estadio Centenario, Los Mochis, Mexico
12Win8–2–2Mexico Nora CardozaKO2 (6)10 Apr 2010Mexico Palenque de la Feria, Durango City, Mexico
11Win7–2–2Mexico Mariana Jimenez CatorceUD83 Jul 2009Mexico Gimnasio de la AUT, Tampico, Mexico
10Loss6–2–2Argentina Yésica BoppUD107 Mar 2009Argentina Gimnasio Municipal Number 1, Puerto Madryn, ArgentinaFor WBA interim female light flyweight title
9Win6–1–2Mexico Magdalena LeijaPTS41 Nov 2008Mexico Gimnasio Beto Estrada, Piedras Negras, Mexico
8Loss5–1–2Mexico Ibeth Zamora SilvaPTS67 Jun 2008Mexico Toluca, Mexico
7Win5–0–2Mexico Mayela PerezPTS631 May 2008Mexico Centros de Espectaculos Titanes, Piedras Negras, Mexico
6Win4–0–2Mexico Maria Elena VillalobosPTS428 Apr 2008Mexico Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
5Win3–0–2Mexico Maribel CruzPTS42 Oct 2007Mexico Cancún, Mexico
4Win2–0–2Mexico Lucia AvalosPTS410 Jul 2007Mexico Monterrey, Mexico
3Draw1–0–2Mexico Belen PosadasPTS414 Apr 2007Mexico Salon Marbet Plus, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico
2Draw1–0–1Mexico Ana ArrazolaPTS410 Feb 2007Mexico Arena Azteca Budokan, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico
1Win1–0Mexico Maribel CruzTKO4 (4)12 Jun 2006Mexico Cancún, Mexico

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