Daniel Zaragoza Built Three Reigns
Daniel Zaragoza won the vacant WBC super bantamweight championship by stopping Carlos Zárate in the tenth round in February 1988. The Mexican southpaw ultimately held that division’s WBC title in three separate reigns.
The first championship divisions
An Olympian at Moscow in 1980, Zaragoza turned professional that year. He won the vacant WBC bantamweight championship against Freddie Jackson by seventh-round disqualification in May 1985, then lost it to Miguel Lora.
After defeating Zárate at super bantamweight, Zaragoza made five defenses before Paul Banke stopped him. He regained the title against Kiyoshi Hatanaka in 1991 and defended twice before losing to Thierry Jacob.
The third super bantamweight reign
Zaragoza drew with Héctor Acero Sánchez in 1995, then won their rematch by twelve-round decision to become champion again. Four defenses followed, including a victory over Wayne McCullough.
Erik Morales ended his final reign in September 1997. Zaragoza retired with fifty-five wins, eight defeats and three draws and entered the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
Zaragoza first became Mexican bantamweight champion in 1982 and successfully defended that national title ten times. He later added the NABF super bantamweight belt. All twenty-two of his world championship contests took place outside Mexico, underlining the extensive traveling required during his professional title career.
Sources
- International Boxing Hall of Fame: Zaragoza’s bantamweight title and three super bantamweight reigns
