Layla McCarter and Female Fight News for Nov. 26, 2018
By David A. Avila
If you don’t know about the talent of Layla McCarter you truly have not been following female boxing with full attention the past 20 years.
Based in Las Vegas, McCarter has captured world titles from featherweight to super welterweight and has been prizefighting since September 1998. She walks around at approximately 135 pounds and stands about 5’4” in height.
Physically she’s about as imposing as a cuddly bear.
But inside a boxing ring she’s like Albert Einstein and though small in size, she uses her multiple boxing skills and advanced boxing IQ to befuddle and bewilder everyone placed in front of her.
She’s like the female version of James “Lights Out” Toney if you want to make a comparison, though they have different boxing styles.
McCarter, 39, has not lost a fight since 2007 despite matches taking place in Mexico, South Africa, Canada, and New Zealand. Regardless of the weight class, she’s willing to move up and down in weight from lightweight to super welterweight. She’s knocked out four of her last eight opponents since 2012 despite serious size differences.
In my view, McCarter is the best female fighter pound for pound and has held that position since 2009. But how much spring remains in her legs is the big question?
Can McCarter still swing with the new wave of prizefighters like Katie Taylor, Claressa Shields and Jessica McCaskill?
Or have the current champions like Cecilia Braekhus, Amanda Serrano and Delfine Persoon passed her by?
With so many available options for McCarter it would be a shame if the Las Vegas prizefighter was missed by fight fans in this day of great opportunity for women’s boxing. If any of the fighters mentioned would dare fight McCarter they would be in for the fight of their lives. That they could count on. And isn’t that what fight fans want?
McCarter has been fighting for decades yet only the real female fight fans know about her. If anyone claims to be a fan of female fighting and they don’t know about McCarter, then they are merely pretenders.
Mega fights
Fans of female boxing truly want a mega fight but they are blocked by the casual fans who only know about MMA stars like Cyborg. I’m not in favor of sharing a boxing ring between a boxer and MMA fighter. It only benefits MMA. So instead of McCarter-Braekhus we hear people clamoring for Cyborg.
Right now female boxing is entering another realm that will eventually overtake MMA. But if boxers begin cross fighting with the other combat sports, it’s not a good trade.
Over the years a number of mega fight opportunities between great female boxing stars were missed.
In the early 2000s a fight between Lucia Rijker and Christy Martin was signed and about to take place when an injury derailed that first mega fight. Top Rank was the promoter of record and it was never tried again.
Around 2007, a proposed match between Laila Ali and Ann Wolfe was attempted. That fight never took place though it would have set the benchmark for all female mega fights. Instead, the entire sport of female boxing suffered because of the failure to get these two undefeated fighters in the ring.
Now we have McCarter who I have seen as the best female pound for pound fighter in the last nine years. She was available to challenge Holly Holm when that New Mexico boxer was touted by many as the best pound for pound. Instead, Holm departed for MMA and made tons of money. No problem there. But Holm never fought McCarter but fought everyone else as a boxer.
Today we have Cecilia Braekhus who most are claiming as the best fighter pound for pound today. She’s undefeated since turning pro in 2007 but mainly against non-American competition. And though I feel the Norwegian fighter is extremely talented and perhaps the best athlete in all of boxing, skill-wise I still have to give the edge to McCarter who’s like a master swordsman fencing dilettantes.
The true beauty of McCarter is the fact she can fight from 135 to 154 which covers lightweights, super lightweights, welterweights and super welterweights. Four weight divisions and the Las Vegas prizefighter, according to me, would be the favorite against any of the current champions in any of those weight classes. This is the reason I tab her as the true best female fighter pound for pound.
London calling
This past weekend McCarter took to social media to invite current lightweight champion Katie Taylor of Ireland to a lightweight world championship fight.
“I want to get my titles back,” said McCarter after several offers to fight Braekhus were not accepted. “I having been fighting at welterweight to try and get Cecilia Braekhus in the ring, but it doesn’t seem she wants to fight me.”
McCarter says her true weight class is 135 pounds and she previously held the WBA lightweight title that Taylor now holds. She likes what she sees in current titlist Taylor who fights for Matchroom Boxing based in London, England.
“I think Katie Taylor is a good fighter, a real solid fighter and a real challenge. Something I would have to get up for,” said McCarter. “She has a vast amount of amateur experience but I have a lot more pro experience.”
Taylor has fought only one true challenge and that was against Jessica McCaskill who now is the WBC super lightweight titlist. After fighting mostly fringe fighters and under-sized opponents her win against Chicago’s McCaskill is a measure of her real talent. It also emphasizes that American fighters are the real danger to the Irish great.
“European fighters come to America to get better, we don’t go there to get better,” said McCarter. “American fighters are traditionally better.”
Rumors are swirling about a possible tournament featuring lightweights and super lightweights. Any tournament without McCarter is basically of little consequence and void of the best female fighter pound for pound.
More Female Fight News
Argentina
Florencia Juarez (1-0) defeated Rosa Caraballo (0-1) by decision after four rounds on Friday Nov. 23. The super bantamweight fight took place in Buenos Aires.
On Saturday Dec. 1, super lightweights Victoria Bustos (18-5) and Enis Pacheco (17-4-2) meet for the IBF world title at Santa Fe. Also, super flyweights Roxana Bermudez (1-0) and Aixa Adema (2-1-1) meet in a four round bout.
Australia
On Friday Nov. 30, bantamweights Kori Farr (2-4-2) and Krystina Jacobs (1-0) meet in a four round fight at Brisbane.
Belgium
On Friday Nov. 30, flyweights Yoliane Lin (9-2) and Nino Gviniashvili (1-2-1) meet in a four round fight at Thieu.
Canada
Kim Clavel (5-0) was the winner by unanimous decision after six rounds versus Ana Victoria Polo (7-4) on Saturday Nov. 24. The light flyweight match took place at Quebec.
Alisah McPhee (5-2-1) was victorious over Judit Pereira (1-2) by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Friday Nov. 23. The Canadian super flyweight title fight was held at Langley, British Colombia.
On Saturday Dec.1, super welterweights Chris Namus (24-4) and Marie Eve Dicaire (13-0) meet for the IBF world title at Quebec.
Denmark
Sarah Mahfoud (7-0) was victorious by unanimous decision after eight rounds against Stephanie Ducastel (8-5-2) on Saturday Nov. 24. The featherweight fight took place in Copenhagen.
France
Sabah Ghades (2-0) won by majority decision after four rounds versus Ivanka Ivanova (1-5-1) on Saturday Nov. 24. The flyweight bout took place at Grenoble.
Germany
Prisca Vicot (9-5) was the winner by technical knockout in round three versus Nana Chakavashvili (4-10) on Saturday Nov.24. The super lightweight match took place in Nuremberg.
On Saturday Dec.1, light flyweights Sarah Borman (6-0) and Milica Radosevic (0-4) meet in an eight round match at Rastatt. Also, Johanna Kruse (2-0) and Jelena Drakulic (0-3) meet in a four round super welterweight match.
Ireland
Lynn Harvey (5-1) defeated Kitti Kolompar (1-5) by knockout in the first round on Saturday Nov. 1. The flyweight match took place at Drimnagh. Also, Siobhan Leary (1-0) knocked out Klaudia Csaszar (1-2-1) in the first round of a super featherweight bout.
Japan
Ayaka Miyao (23-7-1) defeated Nao Ikeyama (18-5-3) after 10 rounds in a minimum weight title fight at Tokyo on Tuesday Nov. 20. Other results: Nanae Suzuki (8-2-1) beat Sayaka Aoki (4-4-2); Marina Sayama (4-1-1) beat Chan Mi Lim (3-6-1); Mont Blanc Miki (4-1) beat Yumiko Shimooka (4-7); Mizuki Shimoto (1-0 knocked out Kannika Bangnara (1-1); Akane Fujiwara (3-1) beat Rimin Shimano (2-2); Aira Midorikawa (3-0) beat Rena Koizumi (1-1); Nanako Suzuki (3-1) beat Sachiko Kondo (1-3-1); Rena Takahashi (1-2) beat Watcharin Khodam (1-1). For more on this fight card read the story by Yuriko Miyata on this site.
Eruka Hiromoto (4-0) defeated Charimae Salvador (4-1) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Sunday Nov. 18. The minimum weight fight took place at Hiroshima.
On Wednesday Nov. 28, minimum weights Erica Hanawa (9-3) and Jujeath Nagaowa (13-18-1) meet in an eight round OPBF title fight at Tokyo.
On Saturday Dec. 1, minimum weights Kayoko Ebata (12-7) and Etsuko Tada (17-3-2) meet in 10 round fight for WBO world title at Osaka. Also, featherweights Wakako Fujiwara (6-2-2) and Kimika Miyoshi (13-11-1) meet in eight round title fight; minimum weights Kasumi Saeki (2-0) and Wassana Kamdee (3-4) meet in an eight round contest; and flyweights Eri Matsuda (1-0) and Minayo Kei (6-3) meet in an eight round match.
Mexico
Guadalupe Martinez (18-9) was the winner by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Yulihan Luna Avila (16-3-1) on Saturday Nov. 24. The WBC super flyweight world title fight took place at Cancun. It was Martinez’s third defense of the title since May 2017. Luna Avila is a former bantamweight world titlist who held the super bantamweight title but now fights two divisions lower.
Alondra Garcia (20-3-1) defeated Jessica Rangel (1-10-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Nov. 24. The IBF light flyweight title fight took place at Guadalajara.
On Friday Nov. 30, bantamweights Irais Vargas (4-0) and Esperanza Resendiz (0-3) meet in a six round bout at Zaragoza. Also, super flyweights Jenny Mercado (0-1) and Moni Trejo (2-1) meet in a four round fight.
New Zealand
On Friday Nov. 30, middleweights Trish Vaka (1-3) and Tessa Tualevao (0-6) meet in a six round clash at Auckland. Also, super lightweights Laura Woods (0-0) and Karen Terukipasene (0-0) meet in a four round bout.
Panama
On Tuesday Nov. 27, minimum weights Eva Guzman (14-1-1) and Yaditza Perez (9-12-1) meet in a 10 round IBA title fight at Panama City.
Singapore
Nurshahidah Roslie (10-2) won by knockout in the fourth round against Kanchana Tungthaisong (13-5-3) on Friday Nov. 23. The WBC Asian super bantamweight fight was held in Singapore.
On Friday Nov. 30, flyweights Kirstie Gannaway (0-0) and Febriyanti Lubis (1-2) meet in a four round match at Singapore.
Sweden
On Saturday Dec. 1, lightweights Joanna Ekedahl (7-0) and Nina Pavlovic (1-1-1) meet in a six round clash at Skovde.
Switzerland
On Saturday Dec. 1, featherweights Vissia Trovato (11-1) and Irma Adler (16-10) meet in an eight round contest at Ascona.
United Kingdom
Nina Bradley (7-0) defeated Karina Kopinska (10-28-3) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Sunday Nov. 25. The super lightweight match took place at Newark Nottinghamshire.
Kristen Fraser (6-0) knocked out Ellen Simwaka (7-5-2) in fifth round on Saturday Nov. 24. The Commonwealth bantamweight title fight took place at Aberdeen, Scotland. Also, Elaine Greenan (1-2) defeated Vaida Masiokaite (1-1) by decision after four lightweight rounds.
On Friday Nov. 30, welterweights Cherrelle Brown (3-0) and Kim Jaeckel (3-1) meet in a six round fight at Bethnal Green, London.
USA
Kim Wabik (0-0-1) and Liz Humphries (0-0-1) fought to a majority draw after four rounds on Wednesday Nov. 21. The lightweight fight was held in Windham, New Hampshire.
Amanda Pavone (6-0) defeated Karen Dulin (3-16) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Wednesday Nov. 21. The bantamweight fight was held at Lincoln, Rhode Island.
Sarah Curran (4-1-1) was victorious over Shianne Gist (4-1-2) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Wednesday Nov. 21. The welterweight title fight took place at Elk Grove, Illinois.
On Saturday Dec. 1, middleweights Tori Nelson (18-2-3) and Sanna Turunen (4-1-1) meet in a 10 round bout at Washington D.C.
On Saturday Dec. 1, middleweights Schemelle Baldwin (2-0) and Crystal Byers (0-4) meet in a six round fight at Hockessin, Delaware.
Venezuela
Liliana Cermeno (1-0) knocked out Valentina Requena (0-2) in the third round on Friday Nov. 23. The flyweight match took place at San Felix.
Rosalinda Marquez (1-4) defeated Yarine Rodriguez (0-3) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Wednesday Nov. 21. The super lightweight fight was held in Petare.
On Monday Nov. 26, flyweights Luisana Bolivar (8-5-1) and Yoselina Molina (0-0) meet in a four round bout at Caracas.
Zimbabwe
On Friday Nov. 30, bantamweights Patience Mastara (4-6-2) and Sarafina Julius (1-2-1) fight 10 rounds at Harare. Also, lightweights Chiedza Hombakomba (1-0-2) and Maimuna Hashim (0-4) meet in a six round bout; flyweights Martina Tyauna (0-1) and Mwajuma Pengo (0-0-1) meet in a six round contest.