While Laila Ali continues to dance her way into a championship, Layla McCarter will continue her dance at victory in the ring. A dance she has been successful at since winning the GBU title. Fighting often and training hard. “I train everyday”, she says, it really doesn’t matter who I am fighting, I train for the fight, and I train to win”.

With the Del Valle vs McCarter fight off, apparently due to an injury, Melissa Hernandez stepped up and seized the opportunity to avenge her loss to Layla McCarter. “I may be a little disappointed in losing the opportunity to avenge my loss to Del Valle” said McCarter, “but now Melissa Hernandez has a shot at avenging her loss and we are happy to provide that for her, and the Del Valle fight can take place sometime in the future, I am ready whenever she is……I am always ready.

Layla’s promoter, Frank Luca would attest to that. Luca has been in the boxing game for more years than he cares to count, including boxing himself for a short time. He says his decision to promote Layla McCarter was not a decision he made lightly. “Layla has the kind of talent, dedication as an athlete and skills that you look for in a fighter, be it male or female. There was a time when I would never have put a woman on my card. In fact, Sue Fox herself was on the undercard of an Ernie Shavers card I was doing and I thought, this is crazy! Women aren’t supposed to be fighting!, Imagine that! (Sue Fox wasn’t a bad little fighter at that!) I have to laugh at that now, I am a changed man. The change came when I saw the dedication of these female athletes. I have witnessed their skill level rise and their talent develop. I am both a matchmaker and a promoter so I make every effort to ensure that whoever I match with Layla will make a good solid fight. However, we all know that there are disappointing times when fighters pull out of a fight for various reasons, so we make every attempt to make the fight happen by finding another fighter of the best caliber as quickly as possible. This is a team, and we are dedicated to working as a team. Whether it is a title fight at 3 minute rounds, twelve rounds, (which I support whole-heartedly), or an 8 or 10 rounder. It is about the equality and the quality. With that comes credibility followed by recognition. With that recognition better paydays, bigger venues. I believe that is a goal we are all working towards. Layla has the boxers heart, drive, spirit and quality training it takes to be successful in boxing, and that is what caught my eye, it was the deciding factor for me in promoting her. I am pleased with her performance, and the public is pleased with her performance, she has the total package.

So, it appears that McCarter and Hernandez both have one goal in mind, to win. I expect that Hernandez has absorbed the knowledge from her last tango with McCarter, and will step it up. At any rate, let’s hope the dance sizzles!  Lori Steinhorst