Santos Laciar
Encyclopedia
Santos Benigno Laciar known familiarly as Santos Laciar and nicknamed Falucho, was an Argentine world flyweight
champion.
, in the province of Córdoba, Argentina.
Laciar began his career in his hometown, on December 3 of 1976, knocking out Carlos Maliene in four rounds. After three more wins, all by knockout
, he was faced with Alejandro Holguin, who held him to a ten round draw, becoming the first boxer to face Laciar and not come out on the losing end. After three more wins, he drew once again, this time against Jose Ibiris, but in his next fight, he was able to take the Córdoba State Flyweight title away from Carlos Reyes Sosa in Villa María
with a 12 round decision. He finished 1977 with four more wins, including a knockout in six in a rematch with Reyes Sosa.
In 1978 he had 13 fights, for an average of slightly more than one fight per month. Among his fights that year: a rematch with Ibiris, which ended in a ten round decision win for Laciar, two fights versus contender Ramon Soria, which ended in a draw and in Laciar's first defeat, a 10 round decision loss, a fight with Luis Gerez, who drew with Laciar, and Laciar's Buenos Aires
debut, a 10 round decision win over Angel Luis Fernandez.
1979 was another busy year for Laciar, boxing 13 times again during that year. He won 9 of those bouts. Among his fights in '79, a loss to future world Junior bantamweight champion Gustavo Ballas, who beat him in 10 on points, a rubber match with Ibris, resulting in another Laciar 10 round decision win, two decision losses to Raúl Pérez
, and a 10 round decision win against top contender Federico Condori.
But early in 1980 Laciar started what would turn out to be a great decade for him. He was matched with Miguel Lanzarte on February 26 of that year for the vacant Argentinian flyweight title and won the bout by a decision in 12. After a draw in ten against Condori's brother Ruben, he won four straight bouts, and on August 30, he challenged for the South American flyweight title. In what was his first fight outside Argentina, he and South American champion Jaime Miranda battled to an 8 round no contest (a no contest is declared when circumstances beyond boxing cause the fight to be stopped) in Santiago, Chile
. After one more win over Federico Condori, Miranda returned the favor by travelling to Laciar's country and this time, Laciar won the South American title with a 12 round decision win. Laciar finished the year by travelling to England, where he lost a 10 round decision to future world champion Charlie Magri
.
In 1981, one day before his birthday, he beat José de la Cruz
in Mar del Plata
. He was already ranked number one by the WBA
, and in March he flew to South Africa, where he beat Peter Mathebula on the 28th day of that month, by a knockout in seven rounds to become the world's flyweight champion. After the retirement of Carlos Monzón
in 1977 and Victor Galindez
in 1978, (Galindez died in 1980 in an auto race accident), Argentina was in need of a world champion boxer, and Laciar became a national hero instantly.
A rematch with Lanzarte, resulting in a 10 round non title decision win, followed, and then he travelled to Panama City, Panama, where he lost his title to Luis Ibarra
.
Ibarra lost his title in his first defense to Juan Herrera
, and after 5 more bouts, Laciar challenged Herrera in the champion's hometown of Tampico, Mexico. Laciar recovered the crown by a knockout in 13 rounds, and this time, he wouldn't lose it again. He defended it for three years, after which he left it vacant. He defeated former world champion Betulio González
in Maracaibo
, Venezuela
by a decision in 15, Steve Muchoki in Copenhagen
, Denmark by a knockout in 13, Ramon Neri (a deaf-mute boxer) by a knockout in 9 at Córdoba, Shuichi Hozumi by a knockout in 2 in Japan, Hee Sup Chin, by a knockout in one in South Korea
, Juan Herrera, in a rematch at Marsala
, Italy, by a decision in 15, former world champion Prudencio Cardona
by a knockout in 10 in Córdoba, former two-time world Junior Flyweight champion Hilario Zapata
by a decision in 15 at Buenos Aires, and Antoine Monteiro, beaten by a knockout in 11 at Paris, France. After his fight with Monteiro, he decided to leave the world Flyweight championship vacant. His fame also surpassed the Argentinian borders and he became famous all over Latin America, The Ring
' s Spanish edition featuring him on the cover many times, as well as on posters and articles. He was also on the cover of Guantes
magazine multiple times during his second period as champion.
On June 8, 1986, he and Jaime Miranda had a rubber match, Laciar winning a ten round decision, and two months later, the Mexican world Junior Bantamweight champion, the late Gilberto Roman
, travelled to Argentina to defend his WBC
world crown versus Laciar, the fight ending in a 12 round draw. Six more wins followed, including one against Hector Patri, and then on May 16 of 1987, he and Roman met again. This time the WBC chose a neutral place for the fight, but Laciar won the fight by a knockout in 11 at Reims
, France, becoming a world champion for the third time. However, in his first title defense, Laciar was on the losing end of a decision against Colombia
n Sugar Baby Rojas in Miami
.
Laciar kept on boxing and reeled off eight more straight wins, but on October 8, 1988, he was outpointed by Juan Carazo
in Caguas, Puerto Rico
, by a decision in 12 rounds. Two more wins and another no contest followed, and, after Carazo lost in his title try against Roman by decision, it was Laciar's turn to face the Mexican again. This time, they boxed in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, California
, and Roman came out victorious by a 12 round decision.
Roman would die in a car crash the next year, and all chances of a fourth bout between the two, which was a possibility that was being talked about, were dashed with Roman's death.
Laciar fought three more bouts, all in 1990, after which he decided to retire.
His final record was 79 wins, 10 losses, 10 draws and 2 fights ended in no-contests, with 30 wins coming by knockout.
Flyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...
champion.
Biography
Laciar was born in Huinca RenancóHuinca Renancó
Huinca Renancó is a city in the province of Córdoba, Argentina...
, in the province of Córdoba, Argentina.
Laciar began his career in his hometown, on December 3 of 1976, knocking out Carlos Maliene in four rounds. After three more wins, all by knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
, he was faced with Alejandro Holguin, who held him to a ten round draw, becoming the first boxer to face Laciar and not come out on the losing end. After three more wins, he drew once again, this time against Jose Ibiris, but in his next fight, he was able to take the Córdoba State Flyweight title away from Carlos Reyes Sosa in Villa María
Villa María
Villa María is a city in Córdoba Province, Argentina, and the head town of the General San Martín Department. It is located in the center of rich agricultural land. The area leads the country in production of milk...
with a 12 round decision. He finished 1977 with four more wins, including a knockout in six in a rematch with Reyes Sosa.
In 1978 he had 13 fights, for an average of slightly more than one fight per month. Among his fights that year: a rematch with Ibiris, which ended in a ten round decision win for Laciar, two fights versus contender Ramon Soria, which ended in a draw and in Laciar's first defeat, a 10 round decision loss, a fight with Luis Gerez, who drew with Laciar, and Laciar's Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
debut, a 10 round decision win over Angel Luis Fernandez.
1979 was another busy year for Laciar, boxing 13 times again during that year. He won 9 of those bouts. Among his fights in '79, a loss to future world Junior bantamweight champion Gustavo Ballas, who beat him in 10 on points, a rubber match with Ibris, resulting in another Laciar 10 round decision win, two decision losses to Raúl Pérez
Raúl Pérez
Raúl Pérez is a former boxer from Mexico. He has won world titles in two weight divisions.- Professional career :...
, and a 10 round decision win against top contender Federico Condori.
But early in 1980 Laciar started what would turn out to be a great decade for him. He was matched with Miguel Lanzarte on February 26 of that year for the vacant Argentinian flyweight title and won the bout by a decision in 12. After a draw in ten against Condori's brother Ruben, he won four straight bouts, and on August 30, he challenged for the South American flyweight title. In what was his first fight outside Argentina, he and South American champion Jaime Miranda battled to an 8 round no contest (a no contest is declared when circumstances beyond boxing cause the fight to be stopped) in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
. After one more win over Federico Condori, Miranda returned the favor by travelling to Laciar's country and this time, Laciar won the South American title with a 12 round decision win. Laciar finished the year by travelling to England, where he lost a 10 round decision to future world champion Charlie Magri
Charlie Magri
Charlie Magri is a former English flyweight boxer. He is from a Maltese family that settled in Stepney, London where he grew up...
.
In 1981, one day before his birthday, he beat José de la Cruz
José de la Cruz
José de la Cruz , more popularly known as Huseng Sisiw, was one of the great Filipino writers during the Spanish regime. He was the mentor of Francisco Balagtas in poetry. He was born in Tondo, Manila....
in Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
. He was already ranked number one by the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
, and in March he flew to South Africa, where he beat Peter Mathebula on the 28th day of that month, by a knockout in seven rounds to become the world's flyweight champion. After the retirement of Carlos Monzón
Carlos Monzón
Carlos Monzón was an Argentine professional boxer who held the undisputed world middleweight title for 7 years, during which he successfully defended the title 14 times....
in 1977 and Victor Galindez
Víctor Galíndez
Víctor Emilio Galíndez was an Argentine boxer who was the third Latin American to win the world Light Heavyweight championship, after Puerto Rico's José Torres and Venezuela's Vicente Rondon.Galíndez was born in Vedia in the Leandro N...
in 1978, (Galindez died in 1980 in an auto race accident), Argentina was in need of a world champion boxer, and Laciar became a national hero instantly.
A rematch with Lanzarte, resulting in a 10 round non title decision win, followed, and then he travelled to Panama City, Panama, where he lost his title to Luis Ibarra
Luis Ibarra
Luis Ibarra Castillo is a former Panamanian boxer who won the World Boxing Association flyweight championship. He was born on 1953-02-23 in Colón, Panama.-Pro career:...
.
Ibarra lost his title in his first defense to Juan Herrera
Juan Herrera
Juan Herrera is a retired Mexican boxer in the Lightweight division. He is the former WBA World Flyweight Champion.-Professional career:...
, and after 5 more bouts, Laciar challenged Herrera in the champion's hometown of Tampico, Mexico. Laciar recovered the crown by a knockout in 13 rounds, and this time, he wouldn't lose it again. He defended it for three years, after which he left it vacant. He defeated former world champion Betulio González
Betulio González
Betulio Segundo González is a former boxer from Venezuela, who is considered a national hero in Venezuela. He is considered by many to be Venezuela's greatest world champion in boxing history...
in Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
by a decision in 15, Steve Muchoki in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark by a knockout in 13, Ramon Neri (a deaf-mute boxer) by a knockout in 9 at Córdoba, Shuichi Hozumi by a knockout in 2 in Japan, Hee Sup Chin, by a knockout in one in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Juan Herrera, in a rematch at Marsala
Marsala
Marsala is a seaport city located in the Province of Trapani on the island of Sicily in Italy. The low coast on which it is situated is the westernmost point of the island...
, Italy, by a decision in 15, former world champion Prudencio Cardona
Prudencio Cardona
Prudencio Cardona is a former boxer who was world flyweight champion. He represented his native country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany.-Professional boxing career:...
by a knockout in 10 in Córdoba, former two-time world Junior Flyweight champion Hilario Zapata
Hilario Zapata
Hilario Zapata is a former boxer who was a two time world Jr. Flyweight champion and a one time world flyweight champion. Zapata is a Panamanian....
by a decision in 15 at Buenos Aires, and Antoine Monteiro, beaten by a knockout in 11 at Paris, France. After his fight with Monteiro, he decided to leave the world Flyweight championship vacant. His fame also surpassed the Argentinian borders and he became famous all over Latin America, The Ring
The Ring (magazine)
The Ring is an American boxing magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing and wrestling magazine. As the sporting legitimacy of professional wrestling came more into question, The Ring shifted to becoming exclusively a boxing oriented publication...
Guantes
Guantes is the name of a Spanish language boxing magazine that is produced from Panama.For years, the magazine's editor has been the well-known writer Chu Romero. Guantes covers news from the boxing world, but it concentrates on hispanic boxing news.Guantes had top competition from Ring En Español...
magazine multiple times during his second period as champion.
On June 8, 1986, he and Jaime Miranda had a rubber match, Laciar winning a ten round decision, and two months later, the Mexican world Junior Bantamweight champion, the late Gilberto Roman
Gilberto Roman
Gilberto Román was a Mexican boxer in the Super Flyweight division and a member of the 1980 Mexican Olympic team. Román was a two-time WBC Super Flyweight Champion and is considered by many fans to be one of the great champions in this division...
, travelled to Argentina to defend his WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world crown versus Laciar, the fight ending in a 12 round draw. Six more wins followed, including one against Hector Patri, and then on May 16 of 1987, he and Roman met again. This time the WBC chose a neutral place for the fight, but Laciar won the fight by a knockout in 11 at Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, France, becoming a world champion for the third time. However, in his first title defense, Laciar was on the losing end of a decision against Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n Sugar Baby Rojas in Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
.
Laciar kept on boxing and reeled off eight more straight wins, but on October 8, 1988, he was outpointed by Juan Carazo
Juan Carazo
Juan Carazo is a former boxer from Caguas, Puerto Rico.Carazo was considered to be a boxing reincarnation of Wilfred Benítez or Wilfredo Gómez by many of his fans, and he won his first five professional bouts by knockout in 1984...
in Caguas, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, by a decision in 12 rounds. Two more wins and another no contest followed, and, after Carazo lost in his title try against Roman by decision, it was Laciar's turn to face the Mexican again. This time, they boxed in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
, and Roman came out victorious by a 12 round decision.
Roman would die in a car crash the next year, and all chances of a fourth bout between the two, which was a possibility that was being talked about, were dashed with Roman's death.
Laciar fought three more bouts, all in 1990, after which he decided to retire.
His final record was 79 wins, 10 losses, 10 draws and 2 fights ended in no-contests, with 30 wins coming by knockout.