Pamela Boveda

Born on October 8, 1988, in Asunción, Paraguay, to a Brazilian mother and a Paraguayan father, Pámela Bóveda Aguirre grew up in Ciudad del Este with a broad passion for sport. She explored multiple disciplines throughout her childhood before channeling her competitive energy into rowing during her formative years. It was also during this period that Pámela took her first steps on the BJJ mats, beginning her grappling education under the guidance of coach Fabio Galarza.

At 16, academic ambition prompted a defining life change. With aeronautical engineering unavailable as a field of study in Paraguay, Pámela relocated to Argentina to enroll in the program. Setting aside jiu-jitsu for the time being, she redirected her athletic drive into rugby, representing the Cordoba Rugby Club at a national level while managing the demands of a rigorous engineering curriculum. Her perseverance paid off in 2014 when she completed her degree, becoming the first woman from Paraguay to earn a full aeronautical engineering qualification — a landmark achievement that reflects the same discipline she would later bring to her BJJ career.

Return to the Mats and Technical Development

With her engineering degree in hand and a stable position secured at Aerolineas Argentinas, Pámela Bóveda found both the financial footing and the time to return to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Her development in Argentina was shaped by a succession of coaches, beginning with Alejandro Ocampos and continuing under Mariano Hinojal and Kaue Dudus. Her journey culminated under the instruction of Eduardo Duarte, who awarded Pámela both her brown and black belts in recognition of the technical depth and competitive growth she demonstrated throughout her years of dedicated training.

Alongside her BJJ development, Pámela competed in mixed martial arts, testing herself in MMA bouts across South America and Europe before shifting her focus exclusively to grappling competition. Representing Argentina internationally — despite her Paraguayan roots — and competing in the Peso Médio division (69 kg / 152.5 lbs) under the Nova União banner, her brown belt years produced impressive international results.

Competition Highlights

At brown belt, Pámela claimed gold at the IBJJF Madrid Open in 2017, won the UAEJJF Colombia National Pro in 2016, and took the top spot at the UAEJJF Argentina National Pro in 2017, establishing herself as one of the leading competitors in her division. The transition to black belt brought continued success on the global stage — in 2019, she claimed gold in the Master 1 category at the 2019 IBJJF European Open, a result that underscored her standing as a formidable force in the international BJJ community.

Her story — spanning two countries, multiple sports, a pioneering academic achievement, and a sustained commitment to martial arts — reflects the breadth of determination that has defined her path to the black belt.