FORMER WORLD CHAMPION ZARATE SUFFERS HEART ATTACK
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 25 May 2007
One of the greatest bantamweight champions and legendary knockout artist, Mexico’s Carlos Zarate suffered a heart attack after a training session with his son Carlos Jr but according to well-known boxing writer James Blears of Boxing Scene.com Zarate is recovering and his condition was reported to be stable.
The report said Zarate who turns 56 this week was rushed to the Siglo 21 hospital after he suffered from chest pains and collapsed.
In an era that produced such tremendous fighters as Wilfredo Gomez, Lupe Pintor and Jeff Fenech, Zarate lost his WBC bantamweight title to Pintor in a split 15 round decision on June 13, 1979. Zarate lost by a fifth round TKO to Puerto Rican great Gomez in a super bantamweight title fight on October 28, 1978 and then almost ten years later lost by a fourth round technical decision to Fenech in a fight where all three judges scored a shutout for the Australian in a bantamweight title bout.
Zarate once again moved up to super bantamweight but lost by a tenth round TKO to Daniel Zaragoza in a WBC title fight on February 29, 1988. It was Zarate’s last fight.
The Philippines’ stylish Fernando Cabanela (Fernando Lumacad) fought Zarate for the world title in Mexico City on February 5, 1977 but was badly beaten and lost by a third round TKO. The awesome punching power of the Mexican proved too much for Cabanela.
Zarate had a ring record of 66-4 with 63 knockouts, many of them sensational. Blears however reported that Zarate’s life unraveled following a glittering ring career and he was “floored by drink problems” which started around 1990 and then, according to Blears, Zarate “became addicted to cocaine and crack” with the nightmare lasting almost 15 years.
Down and out Zarate walked into the WBC office some two years ago and demanded money but instead the WBC people pleaded with Zarate to enter a rehab clinic and after what Blears described as “eight agonizing and challenging months” Zarate defeated his addiction. He now works in the public relations department of the WBC and trains his son Carlos Zarate Jr who is reportedly embarking on a promising amateur career. His father was in his corner when he won by a second round TKO in a prestigious tournament recently.
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