MARKSVILLE - It was Kasha Chamblin's IBA championship belt to lose, but it was Ada Velez's for the taking, and that's exactly what she did.

Velez captured the title with a 98-92, 97-93, 100-90 unanimous decision over Chamblin in the Mare Center at the Paragon Casino in Marksville.

The entire fight, Valez was like a stubborn bulldog that Chamblin couldn't figure out. "I just didn't throw enough," Chamblin said after the fight with two huge knots on her forehead. "She just was able to get in more punches than me."

And those punches usually landed squarely on the head of Chamblin, whether she was blocking or not. In the eighth round, Valez hit Chamblin so hard that the snot flew out of her nose - literally knocking the snot out of her.

But Chamblin fought back with a flurry to start the ninth round. Following Chamblin's attack, Valez seemed to smile as if to say, "OK, now it's my turn."

Valez then countered with a flurry of her own and any chance of Chamblin coming away with a decision was dead.

"She is a really good fighter and I've been wanting to fight her for a long time," said Chamblin. "She was class all the way, both in the ring and out of it. I hope I can get her back in the ring with me again so I'll have to chance to win it back."

The matchup pitted a former Marine against the proclaimed Nina de Puerto Rico. Chamblin danced out, escorted by Marines and wearing a patriotic Navy and White outfit. Valez sported black and white trunks.

Although the bout featured an American from Louisiana, Valez was able to start off fast and keep the crowd from really backing Chamblin.

"That's one thing that is disappointing about losing this fight," Chamblin said. "I had so much fan support out there tonight and I wasn't able to win."

The 10th and final round was a boxing fan's dream. Two fighters knowing the title was on the line, leaving every drop of energy and emotion on the canvas. The round started with the duo exchanging thunderous head shots to one another creating explosions of sweat from their faces.

As the results were read out, Valez was hopping with anticipation and when her name was announced as the winner, she fell to the canvas in a heap of emotion.

Chamblin's defeat was not the only bout of the evening.

Lafayette's Skip Scott notched his first professional victory, a TKO of Monroe's Donzell Atkins in the fourth round.