Marcela Eliana Acuña (born 16 October 1976) is an Argentine professional boxer and part-time politician. She has held multiple super bantamweight world titles, including the IBF title since 2018; the WBA title from 2006 to 2008; the WBC title twice between 2008 and 2010; the WBO title from 2013 to 2014; the IBF title from 2016 to 2018; and the WBA interim featherweight title in 2016. As of September 2020, she is ranked as the world's best active female super bantamweight by The Ring and BoxRec, and the third best active female, pound for pound, by BoxRec and tenth by The Ring. She won the Konex Award Merit Diploma in 2010 as one of the five best Boxers of the last decade in Argentina. Early life Acuña enjoyed boxing from a very early age. At the age of seven, she visited a boxing gym for the first time. Her first trainer, Ramon Chaparro, would many years later become her husband. Marcela Acuña became an accomplished martial arts fighter before she decided to box for money. At the age of twelve, she had earned a black belt and she became South America's champion in her division by the age of fourteen. She made sixteen successful title defenses. She had to retire from karate due to pregnancy. In 1995, she and Chaparro had their first son. After some time away from combat sports, Acuña decided that she would return, only this time, she would compete in boxing. Professional boxing career Acuña made her professional debut on 5 December 1997 against Christy Martin in Pompano Beach, Florida, on an undercard that was headlined by Johnny Tapia's world championship defense against Puerto Rico's Andy Agosto and which was shown nationally across the United States. Acuña was dropped in round ten, but she rose and finished the bout on her feet. Despite losing a unanimous decision by scores of 100-90 and 99-90 (twice), Acuña's performance was hailed by many fans and critics alike, considering that this was her first professional boxing bout. In just her second professional fight she met Lucia Rijker on 25 September 1998, at Ledyard, Connecticut, for the vacant IBO super lightweight title. Acuña was knocked out in five rounds. After losing her first two fights, Acuña stepped away from boxing. Return to boxing Acuña returned to boxing in 2001, and she and her rival, Jamillia Lawrence of New Jersey, made Argentine