U.S. boxer Jennifer Lozano wears the nickname “La Traviesa” (the troublemaker) is now going to compete in the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024.
Jennifer’s Nickname is given by her grandmother, she said in one interview with Olympics.
“My grandma gave me the nickname because I was a really reckless kid,”
Lozano told Olympics.com
“It was perfect for when I started to take boxing seriously because I was a troublemaker in the ring too. I would tell off the boys, and they wouldn’t want to spar with me no more or get in the ring with me.
She added
Jennifer Lozano’s Early Life in Laredo
Jennifer Lozano was born on November 24, 2002, to her mother Yadhira Rodríguez in the small border town of Laredo, Texas, USA.
She grew up in this close-knit community, watching boxer Jackie Nava’s fights on Saturday nights with her grandmother, Virginia Cuevas Sanchez. From a young age, Lozano’s grandmother inspired her love of boxing.
Jennifer Lozano Qualifies for Ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics
On Thursday, October 26th, 20-year-old boxer Jennifer Lozano qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics with a dominant showing at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. Competing in the women’s 50kg weight class, Lozano decisively defeated Canada’s Mckenzie Wright by a score of 5-0 in the semifinal match.
Lozano received the mock ticket symbolizing her qualification for next summer’s Olympics. Overcome with emotion, she pointed to the sky in tribute to her late grandmother and biggest inspiration, Virginia Cuevas Sanchez. Lozano then brought the ticket to her mother, Yadhira Rodríguez, who had traveled to Santiago to support her daughter.
In an emotional interview, a tearful Lozano said in a mix of English and Spanish:
“We are going to Paris, baby. La Traviesa is from Laredo, Texas. We are ready for the whole world. We are going to the Olympics.” She added, “Being the first Olympian from Laredo means so much to me.”
She said
Fellow Olympic boxer Jajaira Gonzalez celebrated Lozano’s accomplishment by commenting “I’m such a crybaby, Love this” on her Instagram post.
Capping off an incredible showing at the Pan Am Games, Lozano went on to win the silver medal in her weight class the following day, October 27th.
Early to Professional Career of Jennifer Lozano
Jennifer Lozano’s Inspiring Early Boxing
Jennifer Lozano first stepped into a boxing gym at age 9 to learn self-defense. As an overweight child, she faced relentless bullying from classmates who would physically attack her while walking home from school.
When she started training at a local boxing gym in her hometown of Laredo, Texas, Lozano discovered a passion for the sport that went beyond self-defense. She loved the way boxing made her feel physically empowered and changed her body. A year later, she knew she wanted to compete, but faced resistance.
Related: Paris Olympics 2024, Team USA: Meet Jajaira Gonzalez
When Lozano told her coach she wanted to compete, she was shut down and told “You’re a girl and girls can’t box.” This discouragement temporarily shattered Lozano’s spirit, even though she loved boxing. She tried playing basketball and soccer over the next months, but couldn’t find the same fulfillment.
With her mother’s encouragement, Lozano found a new boxing gym in Laredo that wholeheartedly embraced her goal to compete. She recalls the coach asking if she wanted to compete and enthusiastically responding “Of course I want to compete!” She joined their fight team.
Jennifer Lozano’s professional career so far
As the first female boxer from Laredo to reach an elite level in the sport, Lozano began making a name for herself by placing first at the 2015 National Junior Olympics, followed by another first-place finish in 2016. She continued her winning ways by capturing gold at the 2018 and 2019 National Golden Gloves championships. Though she hit a minor roadblock with a third place at the 2019 Elite National Championships, Lozano promptly bounced back by earning gold at the 2020 and 2021 editions.
Most recently, the 50kg boxer added to her resume by winning bronze at the highly competitive 2023 Gee Bee International Tournament. She also took home gold from the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championships and a bronze from the 2022 USA Boxing International Invitational.
Lozano’s dominant performance at the 2023 Pan American Games earned her the historic qualification to compete at the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris. She enters on a high as the first-ever boxer and Olympian to represent Laredo, Texas on the worldwide Olympic stage.
