| Genre: | Telenovela |
| Runtime: | 42-45 minutes |
| Producer: | Ignacio Alarcón |
| Executive Producer: | Angelli Nesma Medina |
| Opentheme: | "Un gancho al corazón" performed by Playa Limbo |
| Country: | Mexico |
| Location: | Tepoztlán, Morelos |
| Language: | Spanish |
| Network: | Canal de las Estrellas |
| Company: | Televisa |
| Num Episodes: | 220[1] |
Un gancho al corazón (English title: A Blow to the Heart)[2] is a Mexican telenovela produced by Angelli Nesma Medina for Televisa that aired from August 25, 2008, to June 26, 2009.[3] [4] [5] [6] It is based on the Argentine telenovela Sos mi vida.[7] In the United States the telenovela aired on Univision from June 22, 2009, to May 3, 2010. Un gancho al corazón was released on DVD on October 5, 2010.[8]
Danna García and Sebastián Rulli star in the lead roles, while Laisha Wilkins, Roberto Blandón, Agustín Arana and Macaria starred as antagonists. Raúl Araiza, Margarita Magaña and Ana Martin starred as stellar performances.
Valentina López is a young professional boxer known as "La Monita". Roberto "Beto" Ochoa is her trainer and boyfriend, who puts her under pressure to train and win so he can get money for himself and his mother, Nieves. Nieves raised "Monita" because her own mother, Isabel, abandoned her.
In another place within the city is an enterprise called Sermeño Group, a realty enterprise owned by Mauricio Sermeño, an ex-car racer who wants to retire and have a family. Mauricio is engaged to Constanza, a selfish and rude woman. Mauricio is convinced that Constanza is the love of his life, even though her foul attitude and bad manners bother him. After a hand injury, "Monita" decides to find a different job in order to sustain her lazy boyfriend and her "mother-in-law". With the help of her best friends Estrella and Paula, she goes to an interview at Sermeño Group, and after an eventful day, is hired as a secretary. Mauricio is convinced that "Monita" is honest and warm hearted and is attracted to her personality. With each day they spend together, they begin to fall in love, but because they are both in relationships, they hide their feelings in order to not hurt their significant others, unaware of their actions and unequal disregard for their feelings.
Mauricio is sure he wants to have a family, so he adopts three orphans named Aldo, Luisa, and Danny. Mauricio's cousin, Jeronimo, and Constanza disapprove of his decision. They try to make Mauricio change his mind but he is adamant he wants the kids in his life and says he will not abandon them. The children like "Monita" because she is kind to them and treats them as if they were her own children. They all quickly establish a close friendship and this captivates Mauricio, seeing Valentina as a potential partner. Unlike Valentina, Constanza hates the children, and since she is not kind, the kids reciprocate her feelings toward them. Constanza, Jeronimo, and Óscar, an unloyal employee of Sermeño Group, join forces to split Mauricio, "Monita", and the kids apart.
Even though Valentina and Mauricio fall in love with each other, they do not act on their feelings. Beto starts to fight in lucha libre as "El Fantasma Vengador" in order to bring in income so that Valentina feels better about him. He and Constanza meet and have sex, later trying to keep it a secret from their significant others, especially after they realize that Mauricio and Valentina are in love with each other. They will do anything to keep them apart.
Production officially began on July 28, 2008.[9] [10] To prepare for her role, Danna García received advice from several boxers like Jesús Martínez, Mariana Juárez and Ana María Torres.
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 28th TVyNovelas Awards[11] | |||
| Best Actor | Sebastián Rulli | [12] | ||
| Best Co-star Actor | Raúl Araiza | |||
| Best Direction of the Camaras | Armando Zafra | rowspan=2 | ||
| Best Musical Theme | "Un gancho al corazón" | |||
| Premios ACE | Best Actor | Sebastián Rulli |