Born: 1980 (Mayagüez, Puerto Rico)
Belinda Laracuente (born 1980) is a women’s boxing competitor from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, where she lived from 1989 to 1998. Known by her nickname Brown Sugar, Laracuente made a name for herself in the world of professional boxing.
Laracuente began her professional boxing career on February 12, 1997, in a match against Karen Nye, which she won. She quickly gained recognition for her skill and determination in the ring. On October 10, 1999, she faced Jeanne Martinez in a four-round match that ended in a draw. Laracuente’s next fight took her to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where she encountered a setback. The night before the fight, she was arrested for underage gambling. Although she spent a night in jail, she persevered and went on to compete in the scheduled match against Denise Moraetes. Despite her efforts, Laracuente lost by decision in ten rounds.
In a subsequent bout, Laracuente achieved a significant victory by defeating future world champion Daniela Somers in an unanimous decision in Miami. Determined to prove herself, she requested a rematch after Somers went on to win the world title by defeating Leah Melinger. Unfortunately, Laracuente’s request was denied by Somers’ management. However, she continued to excel in her career, winning three more matches before facing Zulfia Koutdoussova. In a closely contested match, Laracuente narrowly lost on a split decision.
Laracuente’s first attempt at a world title came when she faced world champion Christy Martin at the Félix Trinidad-David Reid Pay Per View undercard. Despite a commendable effort, she lost by decision in eight rounds. The HBO Boxing commentator, Jim Lampley, even believed that Laracuente should have emerged as the winner with a score of 78 to 74 on his unofficial scorecard.
Following one more defeat, Laracuente retired. However, in December 2002, she surprised many by announcing her plans to return to the ring, fueled by her desire to earn a new world title chance. On May 14, 2005, she made her comeback and faced Mary Jo Sanders in Kinder, Louisiana. Unfortunately, Laracuente was unable to secure the victory. She later suffered another defeat at the hands of Layla McCarter.
On July 8, 2005, Laracuente stepped into the ring on short notice to face Missy Fiorentino, an undefeated prospect. Despite her best efforts, she lost by unanimous decision. In 2007, Esther Phiri defeated Laracuente to claim the world champion title.
Outside of the ring, Belinda Laracuente made a notable appearance as a defendant on The People’s Court in 2008. She was sued by a former cornerman who claimed that Laracuente had not paid him for his services. Although the cornerman sought $2500 of Laracuente’s $7000 purse, along with an additional $2500 for embarrassment and threats, he was ultimately awarded only $350 by the judge.
Laracuente concluded her boxing career on June 22, 2012, with a record of 26-28-3 (9 KO’s). Her contributions to the sport will not be forgotten. Laracuente also left an impact outside of boxing when she appeared on an episode of Made, where she mentored a teenager who aspired to become a boxer.