Carlos Zarate- how good was he?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Big Left Hook, Dec 13, 2012.

  1. Big Left Hook

    Big Left Hook New Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2012
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    1
    Can people tell me just how good he is? The only fights I've seen him in if the Battle of the Z Bombers (awesome name, love it) and against Wilfredo Gomez. How good was he when he was at his best, I constantly hear people rant about his power. I have a particular interest in his resume- just how good are his best wins. I'm starting to get a greater knowledge of the little guys (as in below featherweight) in todays generation of fighters and would love to expand on that to the older generations of great little guys. Where there many top guys he didn't face and what where his best and most exciting performances?

    Thanks guys
     
  2. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2006
    Messages:
    18,091
    Likes Received:
    15,550
    there are guys on here who are much more knowledgeble than me, and much better at articulating a fighters style...

    But I love his fight w/ Pintor, Davilia, Batista & Martinez outside of the 2 you mentioned. He was probably at his best in 77-78, but I will differ to some who know him and his era better.
     
  3. Lester1583

    Lester1583 Can you hear this? Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2008
    Messages:
    4,426
    Likes Received:
    27
    One of the best bantams of all time.

    Great technical stalker.

    He could fight off the back foot too - Pintor fight.

    His knockout ratio is a bit misleading - he wasn't a Julian Jackson-type knockout artist.
    Zamora hit harder than him.

    He was rated as the best fighter in the world in 1977 by Boxing Illustrated.

    Ahead of Duran, Monzon and Arguello.

    Check his fights against Martinez, Ferreri, Batista and Davila.

    I wouldn't call Zarate fights very exciting though - he was patient, unflashy and very dominant.

    Check Amores fight too if you're looking for a good quick KO.
     
  4. salsanchezfan

    salsanchezfan Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2004
    Messages:
    15,705
    Likes Received:
    11,185
    He was one of the very best bantamweights ever, clearly. He usually looked so much bigger than his opponents, with his long limbs and all. Guys like that tend to move and use their long reaches to spear opponents from a distance, but Zarate loved to get in close and rumble too, though he could box quite well when he wanted to. He reminded me of a farmer using a scythe, just cutting down acre after acre of wheat.

    His body attack was typically Mexican, god bless him, and the way he went through Zamora and Davila proved he belongs on a top tier.

    I also really like watching the Pintor fight, as we see there just how well he could box when he wanted to. I thought he overdid the boxing a bit there that day, but impressive nonetheless.
     
  5. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    42,502
    Likes Received:
    400
    Admittedly, I don't know a great deal about Carlos Zarate, but I have watched plenty of his fights and I've never been overly impressed with what I've saw. The likes of Martinez and Davila really didn't look up to much when they fought Zarate. That might have either been because Zarate was simply that good and made them look like B level operators, or maybe they were just that - B level operators. I remember thinking he was a little one-paced, and I rarely saw him punch with his opponent. He needed to set himself before he could go on the offensive.
     
  6. salsanchezfan

    salsanchezfan Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2004
    Messages:
    15,705
    Likes Received:
    11,185
    I haven't seen anything of Martinez other than that bout, so can't comment there, but Davila was a very solid fighter. Excellent little boxer-puncher and as well-schooled as they come.
     
  7. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2006
    Messages:
    18,091
    Likes Received:
    15,550
  8. SLAKKA

    SLAKKA Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2009
    Messages:
    3,829
    Likes Received:
    23
    I thought Johnny Boz would be a good candidate to ask, Whos the greatest fighter of all you saw.
    Answer was Carlos Zarate!!
     
  9. teeto

    teeto Obsessed with Boxing banned

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2007
    Messages:
    28,075
    Likes Received:
    54
    He was fantastic. Imagine a similar style to Alexis Arguello, technically sound hooks and uppercuts with right crosses too. He was a devastating puncher, he had his technique down, turned the punches over at the optimal moment and also had natural power so didn't have to rely on technique. He was brilliant at cutting off the ring also, better than Arguello in that sense.

    One of the best bantamweights in terms of pure effectiveness that has ever lived.
     
  10. LittleRed

    LittleRed Boxing Junkie Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2012
    Messages:
    8,850
    Likes Received:
    239
    I think they made a documentary about this. I forget the name of it. Something like blood in my stool...
     
  11. Big Left Hook

    Big Left Hook New Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2012
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    1
    Thanks guys, great stuff. Especially about how he could be quiete a passive guy, making sure evreything was perfect before throwing his shots and rarely going overboard with aggression. I guess this is impressive for any big puncher, showing restraint, but can make them boring to watch at times. Its interesting watcing guys like that (Monzon and Arguello spring to mind) who aren't flashy or immediatly memorable but are just excellent all around boxers.
     
  12. Big Left Hook

    Big Left Hook New Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2012
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    1
    Great post :good Would you say this is Zarate's best win?
     
  13. LittleRed

    LittleRed Boxing Junkie Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2012
    Messages:
    8,850
    Likes Received:
    239
    My face is so red right now. My mind wanders, BE like a poorly written sentence. My bladder is full.
     
  14. Addie

    Addie Myung Woo Yuh! Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    42,502
    Likes Received:
    400
    You've still got it, B. :lol:
     
    Boxed Ears likes this.
  15. Big Left Hook

    Big Left Hook New Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2012
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    1
    When you look at highly regarded little guys like Olivares, Gomez, Pintor, Zarate and the likes (of that era and ilk), who would you say where the most consistantly exciting and in wars?