Marlen Esparza’s journey from Pasadena High School to international boxing stardom has made her one of the most trailblazing athletes in U.S. sports. She began boxing at age 12 and by 2012 had already made history as the first American woman to qualify for the Olympics in the debut year of women’s boxing. Competing in London, she captured the bronze medal in the women’s flyweight division, later adding a gold medal at the 2014 AIBA Women’s World Championships.

Turning professional, Esparza broke barriers again as the first female fighter signed by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. She quickly proved herself in the ring, earning decisive victories over opponents including Rachel Sazoff, Samantha Salazar, Aracely Palacios, Karla Valenzuela, Laetizia Campana, Jhosep Vizcaino, and Sonia Osorio. In April 2022, she unified the Flyweight WBC title in a 10-round victory over Japan’s Naoko Fujioka. Today, she stands as one of the sport’s most respected champions with a professional record of 12-1-0.

Beyond the ring, Esparza has become a recognized figure in popular culture, appearing in national commercials for Coca-Cola and McDonald’s and securing a Nike sponsorship. A 2007 graduate of Pasadena High School, where she also ran cross country and competed in swimming and debate, she was inducted into the PHS Alumni Hall of Honor in 2020.