06/11/2025
Chile’s Daniela “Leona” Asenjo has revealed she was coerced into losing her IBO super flyweight world title rematch against Kazakhstan’s Angelina Lukas, 15-1 (8 KOs), on May 31 in Taraz, Kazakhstan. Officially, Asenjo retired in the sixth round due to a back injury, but the Valdivian and her coach, Alejandro Co**ha, allege they faced death threats to ensure Lukas’s victory.
Known for her tenacity, Asenjo, 17-5-3 (2 KOs), fought through a broken sternum against women’s number one flyweight Gabriella Fundora in 2024, making her withdrawal suspicious to her KO Club teammates. Five days after the fight, Asenjo and Co**ha told Grupo Diario Sur a harrowing story. The fight promoter, an Azerbaijani, visited their hotel room, nervously placing dollars on Asenjo’s bed. Using a phone translator, he warned, “Asenjo isn’t going to win today, no way,” later writing, “If she wins, my life is in danger. They’re going to c*t my throat, and you won’t be able to leave Kazakhstan.”
