▁world ▁champion ▁Bon nie ▁Can ino . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁successful ▁und efe ated ▁amateur ▁career ▁that ▁included ▁a ▁national ▁title , ▁Vé lez ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Puerto ▁R ican ▁to ▁win ▁a ▁women ' s ▁world ▁box ing ▁championship ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁when ▁she ▁defeated ▁Kath y ▁Williams ▁on ▁a ▁un anim ous ▁decision ▁over ▁ 1 0 ▁r ounds ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁I BA ▁b ant am weight ▁title . ▁Ten ▁months ▁later , ▁she ▁moved ▁up ▁in ▁weight ▁and ▁challeng ed ▁und efe ated ▁Mary ▁Elizabeth ▁Or te ga ▁for ▁the ▁W I BA ▁super ▁b ant am weight ▁title , ▁again ▁winning ▁a ▁ 1 0 - round ▁un anim ous ▁decision . ▁ ▁Vé lez ▁won ▁her ▁first ▁ 1 0 ▁pro ▁f ights ▁before ▁suffering ▁her ▁first ▁loss ▁as ▁a ▁professional , ▁in ▁her ▁first ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁W I BA ▁title . ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Mel issa ▁Del ▁Valle ▁decision ed ▁Vé lez ▁in ▁W aco , ▁Texas ▁in ▁the ▁featured ▁bout ▁on ▁an ▁all - w omen ' s ▁card ▁featuring ▁world ▁champions ▁Anne ▁Wol fe , ▁Sum ya ▁An ani , ▁Del ia ▁Gonz ale z ▁and ▁K else y ▁Jeff ries . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 2 1 , ▁she ▁b ounced ▁back ▁to ▁rec laim ▁the ▁I BA ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁b ant am weight ▁title ▁by ▁decision ing ▁La key sha ▁Williams