Laracuente wins long-sought world title belt

[Dee Williams]

I'm very happy to see Belinda Laracuente finally wearing a title belt, as she has been one of the few women pro boxers who is ready to go anywhere to fight top competition.

I thought she was short-changed in her Majority Decision loss to Christy Martin in 2000. She still seemed up-beat when I interviewed her later in the aftermath of that decision:

www.wban.org/biog/interviews/blaracuente_01.htm

but I felt that she might be lost to women's boxing after she then lost to Karla Redo in a lackluster performance and didn't fight again for a couple of years.

But since early 2005 Belinda has fought regularly, and against "nothing but the best". Her opponent list since then is the entire "who's who" of women's boxing in the lightweight and junior welterweight classes - Sumya Anani, Melissa Fiorentino (2), Chevelle Hallback, Myriam Lamare (2) , Layla McCarter, Valanna McGee, Jelena Mrdjenovich, Jessica Rakoczy (2), Emiko Raika, Ann Marie Saccurato, Kara Ro, Mary Jo Sanders, Duda Yankovich at home and now Melissa Del Valle - that is a heckuva "dance card" in two and a half years! Her paper won-loss record has suffered for it, but my respect for her willingness to get in the ring with these top fighters - who often avoid each other - has only grown.

I was starting to wonder if bringing Melissa Hernandez into the pro ring and coaching her to world titles would be Belinda's remaining boxing accomplishment - so its's great to see her finally notch a world title belt for herself.

Although she's been around as a boxer for a long time, she's still only 28!

Go Belinda!

[Allan Garside]

Yes, I was glad to see Belinda has won a title. Way to go Belinda.

Was McCarter supposed to fight for that title? If so will Belinda have to give McCarter a shot at it. they both have been qute busy this year. McCarter seems to fight on a monthly basis. She beat Belinda last time they fought. Hernandez beat McCarter last time so I think Belinda will just have to win this time or face some serios ribbing from Hernandez.

[Bernie McCoy]

Belinda Laracuente has set the bar high for taking on quality opposition. She does it often and anywhere. If other fighters in the sport followed her example, there would be a lot more "two good fighter" bouts and increased TV coverage might follow.

I do have a problem, however, with a championship being bestowed on a fighter who has lost six straight fights, not had a win in almost three years and, yet, gets a belt for decisioning a fighter who has not been in the ring for twenty months.

I don't know where "championship bout" is defined (probably somewhere near an alphabet) but the bout in Las Vegas on Friday isn't it.

Bernie

[Dee Williams]

Bernie - a championship bout is whatever the sanctioning body says it is, which may be different from what you or I would want, but I've seen a LOT worse than Laracuente vs. Del Valle offered as title fights before this. So I'm happy for Belinda to enjoy the moment and just leave it at that. (Hint: Other threads are available for criticising choices by santioning bodies).

[Dee Williams]

allan said:

McCarter seems to fight on a monthly basis. She beat Belinda last time they fought. Hernandez beat McCarter last time so I think Belinda will just have to win this time or face some serios ribbing from Hernandez.

I think Belinda will be able to handle that But I agree that the rematch would be a good idea!

[Bernie McCoy]

admin said:

Bernie - a championship bout is whatever the sanctioning body says it is, which may be different from what you or I would want, but I've seen a LOT worse than Laracuente vs. Del Valle offered as title fights before this. So I'm happy for Belinda to enjoy the moment and just leave it at that. (Hint: Other threads are available for criticising choices by santioning bodies).

Let me begin by saying that I misstated Laracuente's record, her win over Saccurato was "nearly" two years ago, not three years as I misstated. And while I'd prefer to attribute the gaffe to a typo, the fact is that math was never a strong subject for me (cue the board's Greek chorus for a cantata of "neither was English"). That mistake is compounded by the fact that I was at the Laracuente/Saccurato bout and should have been considerably more cognizant of the timing.

As far as sanctioning bodies, with the rarest of exceptions, the primary problem is their existence.

Bernie

[len]

Belinda's "problem" was taking on the best fighters from Junior lightweight to Welterweight. She was always a very good top-notch boxer (but with limited power). She tried to hard at too many weight classes, but she is still young and has tons of experience with the best fighters around. She will be a force in women's boxing for quite some time to come.

[John Hill]

I was seated ringside for this fight. Belinda receiving a belt is a long time over due. This fight was a very professional bout with 2 very qualified boxers. Ratings and numbers are deceiving in the case of Belinda and Melissa. Belinda is a road warrior and quite a few of her losses were at the hands of hometown decisions. In the case of Melissa having come off a long layoff and fighting a fighter of Belinda's talents in my opinion is proof of her desire to fight tp quality fighters. Seeing this fight in person you learn to appreciate 2 very well qualified veterans who put on a fight of ring showmenship. I look forward to seeing both of them in the very near future.