How good was Daniel Zaragoza?

Wiki:

Zaragoza turned pro in 1980 and in 1985 captured the vacant WBC bantamweight title with a disqualification victory over Freddie Jackson. He lost the title in his first defense to Miguel "Happy" Lora.

The following year he moved up to super bantamweight and in 1988 captured the vacant WBC super bantamweight title with a knockout win over Carlos Zarate. After five successful defenses, he lost the belt to Paul Banke in 1990.

The following year, Zaragoza regaind the belt with a split decision win over Kiyoshi Hatanaka. He went on to defend the belt twice before losing to Thierry Jacob. In his next two fights he battled newly crowned WBC super bantamweight titleholder Tracy Harris Patterson, drawing with Patterson in the first bout and losing by knockout in the second bout when the fight was stopped due to a cut.

In 1995 he would yet again get another crack at the title, taking on Hector Acero Sanchez for the WBC super bantamweight title. The bout was ruled a draw, but Zaragoza fought a rematch with Sanchez later in the year and won the belt via split decision. He was able to defend the title four times before losing to then-undefeated Erik Morales in 1997, who knocked out Zaragoza in the 11th round. Zaragoza retired after the bout with a record of 55-8-3.

He was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.

Preceded by
Alberto Davila
Vacated WBC Bantamweight Champion
4 May 1985–9 Aug 1985 Succeeded by
Miguel "Happy" Lora
Preceded by
Jeff Fenech
Vacated WBC Super Bantamweight Champion
29 Feb 1988–23 Apr 1990 Succeeded by
Paul Banke
Preceded by
Kiyoshi Hatanaka WBC Super Bantamweight Champion
14 Jun 1991–20 Mar 1992 Succeeded by
Thierry Jacob
Preceded by
Hector Acero-Sanchez WBC Super Bantamweight Champion
2 Jun 1995–6 Sep 1997 Succeeded by
Erik Morales


The only fight I saw of his live was v Morales, where he was clearly past his best and took a bit of a beating.

 

When I think of Mexican greats, I think of Sanchez, Chavez at the very top, then Barrera, Morales, Zarate, Olivares. I just don't put Zaragoza in this category. In an era with so many titles available, I don't think you can judge a guy any more on that criteria.
Zarate was well past his prime. He lost to guys like Lora, Patterson, Banke. Good, but not great fighters. I'd label him a very good fighter. I personally think "Mexican Great" is stretching it a bit.

 

What about "Finito" Lopez?

He must be up there.

 

Good technical fighter. Counterpuncher with good defensive skills. Just had the lack of a knockout punch & tender skin. But tough as nails.. You weren't going to walk over Daniel Zaragoza. He could be beat, but you had to give it your best to beat him. He got most of his respect in the end, due to his durability & longtivity. Check out his fight with Banke, it was a war! Bloodbath!

 

True. My bad.

 

Loved Zaragoza, very damn underrated.

I just watched his trilogy with Banke, amazing stuff.

 

He was one of those fighters who was always very good, but perhaps just a notch below the absolute very best in every era/division he was in. His defining moment came very late in his career, when he upset the unbeaten, heavily hyped Wayne McCullough, who was looking to grab himself a title before going on to bigger and better things. Zaragoza spoiled that by outboxing/countering him to a decision up in what amounted to his home turf in Boston. He then tried to pull off another "upset" against an up-and-coming Erik Morales, and although he put up a whale of a battle, the youth and talent of Morales prevailed in the late rounds and he won by KO - I believe the only time Zaragoza was ever counted out. After that, he retired, by which time he was somewhere around 40 years old.

He was never flashy or stylish, but he was a very gritty and awkward southpaw boxer, who tended to throw wide, looping punches from all sorts of angles.

 

Agreed. Nicely put.

He was a top fighter but he will always be remembered as a level below the best at the weight and time he fought at.

 

I'll need to get his fight with McCullough. Seems quite controversial.

 

A most handsome fighter, he was quite crafty and at his peak an excellent technician. Sadly, he lacked authoritative power and stayed on too long after his prime.

 

Not really.

Only according to one drunken Irishman at ringside :
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Other than that, Zaragoza shut down McCullough for too long into the fight. McCullough put on a furious rally in the last couple of rounds, once the old man had tired, but by then it was too late. He was lucky to lose only by a split decision.

 

Zaragoza was anything but mediocre.

 

Not at all.

Like M2M said Wayne finished strong, but thats only because Dan got tired.

The first 2/3 he was comfortably outboxing McCullough. Even in the last which was one of Wayne's best, Dan essentially outlanded Wayne with clean blows but he was so tired they had nothing on them.

2 judges had him the 8-4 victor in which would be considered more Wayne's hometown then Zaragoza's..The 3rd was a chick who had Wayne up by 1. It was Daniel's rough looks that probably swayed that judge.

 

that larry merchant clip was hilarious his face was an absouloute classic