Pound for Pound Best Female Fighter Layla McCarter in Mexico City – Sixteen months zipped by since Layla “The Amazing” McCarter stepped into a boxing ring to show off the skills that catapulted her to the best female prizefighter pound for pound.
McCarter hasn’t been absent from fighting just absent from the boxing ring. Last year she battled former super featherweight champion Diana Prazak in the pit and won by a startling knockout of the good Aussie fighter.
Now it’s back to business.
Mexico has become the new Mecca for female prizefighting so that’s where McCarter (36-13-5, 8 Kos) heads to face Yolanda Segura (16-12, 10 Kos) a veteran from Tamaulipas, Mexico on Saturday April 16. The female clash takes place at Arena Neza in Mexico City, Mexico.
“We came to Mexico to fight for two reasons. First, the lack of opportunities to fight in my own country and the lack of respect by promoters generally regarding female boxers,” said McCarter from Mexico City. “Secondly, the Mexican people are true boxing fans who appreciate sports when they are done well by men or women.”
McCarter, who lives and trains in Las Vegas became good friends with former world champion Laura Serrano who was one of the first Mexican women to capture a world title.
“Laura Serrano fought for women to have the right to box in Mexico. It could be said that we are fighting on April 16 in part because of her efforts,” McCarter said of her friend Serrano who now lives in Las Vegas and held the lightweight world title in 1995 and later fought McCarter in 1999.
McCarter, 36, has been boxing since 1998 and slowly accumulated more and more fighting skills until it became obvious that she was one of the top females in the world. The Las Vegas female prizefighter has not lost a fight since 2007. She has captured world titles in the featherweight, lightweight, super lightweight, and super welterweight divisions.
But the talented prizefighter has one creed she lives by: anything can happen in the boxing ring.
Segura has 12 knockouts on her record and for women that is a lot. McCarter has only eight knockouts but has two of her last three wins via the knockout.
“I don’t know much about Segura except that she has about 30 fights and that she is brave in accepting this fight. Most Mexican fighters I know are very brave and come to fight. I never underestimate anyone but have great confidence in my ability to defeat anyone,” McCarter said. “I hope to save myself any worry about altitude affecting me over ten rounds by finishing the fight early but we’ll see how it goes.”
This is her first adventure fighting in Mexico. It’s a special place for McCarter for a couple of reasons.
“It is a great honor for me to be able to compete in Mexico for the real boxing fans. My greatest idol in boxing is Julio Cesar Chavez,” said McCarter while resting in her room after training. “I really want to impress the people here more than anything and add Mexico to the list of countries in which I’ve fought and won. I fought in Japan, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and now the heart of Mexico. I’m excited!”
McCarter is eager to show off her fighting skills to Mexican fans.
“I do feel the altitude with a sense of heavy legs, but I’m sure by fight time we will catch up,” McCarter said. “In any case, I’ve fought under the most difficult circumstances but nothing will stop me from coming home with the win. Whatever it takes, I will do it!”