Lupe Pintor Followed Eight Bantamweight Defenses
Lupe Pintor won the WBC bantamweight championship by split decision over Carlos Zárate in 1979. The fifteen-round victory began a reign that included eight successful defenses.
The bantamweight championship years
Pintor turned professional in 1974 after developing an interest in boxing while watching Rubén Olivares train. He climbed through the bantamweight ranks before defeating Zárate.
His championship defenses included victories over Alberto Sandoval, Johnny Owen, Alberto Dávila and Seung-Hoon Lee. He later vacated the belt to pursue a title at super bantamweight.
The super bantamweight campaign
Wilfredo Gómez stopped Pintor in the fourteenth round of their 1982 WBC championship contest. Pintor returned to win that division’s title in 1985, defeating Juan Meza by decision over twelve rounds.
Samart Payakaroon took the championship from him by fifth-round knockout the following year. After a 1994 comeback, Pintor retired in 1995 with fifty-six wins, fourteen defeats and two draws. He entered the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2016.
Born in Cuajimalpa de Morelos, Mexico, on April 13, 1955, Pintor recorded forty-two knockout victories. His early professional wins included stoppages of Roberto Álvarez, Willie Jensen, Orlando Amores and Tony Rocha. After losing to Payakaroon, he spent eight years outside competition before returning for the final phase of his professional boxing career.
