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Santos Benigno Laciar (born January 31, 1959),
from Huiina Renanco, Córdoba, Argentina, known
familiarly as Santos Laciar and nicknamed Falucho,
was considered by many to be one of the best World
Flyweight champions in history.

Some might say that Laciar exemplifies the problem
many fighters in the lower weight divisions have
faced throughout the years: despite their fame and
success during their time as champions, they tend
to be forgotten by the public after they retire,
unlike boxing|boxers who won titles at the higher
divisions.

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 Maria 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 Raul Perez,
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 Argentina|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 30th, 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 Jose
De la Cruz in Mar Del Plata. He was already ranked
number one by the World Boxing Association|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 Monzon in 1977 and Victor Galindez in
1978, (Galindez died in 1980 in a 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 Gonzalez 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, Ring Magazine's Spanish language|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 World Boxing
Council|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
Colombian Sugar Baby Rojas in Miami,
Florida|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,
California|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.