1. Juan Zurita was a Mexican professional boxer in the lightweight division and a 1944 National Boxing Association Lightweight world champion.
45 Facts About Juan Zurita
1. 2.
Juan Zurita was born on May 2,1917, near Veracruz, Mexico on the Atlantic Coast.
3.
Juan Zurita began fighting professionally in early 1932, at the tender age of 14 and a half, on the Western Mexican coast in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
4.
Early in his career, Juan Zurita won the Featherweight Championship of Mexico, defeating Joe Conde on February 24,1934, in a twelve round points decision for the title.
5.
Juan Zurita defeated Joe Conde again in a rematch for the Featherweight Championship on March 11,1939, in a twelve round points decision at the Arena Mexico in Mexico City.
6.
On January 4,1935, Juan Zurita defeated Pablo Dano in a ten round points decision at Legion Stadium in Hollywood, California.
7.
Juan Zurita took four rounds, Dano three, and three were even.
8.
Juan Zurita took the first four rounds according to the Los Angeles Times and finished strong in the final round.
9.
On February 15,1936, Juan Zurita defeated Californian boxer Georgie Hansford in a fifth round knockout in Mexico City.
10.
Juan Zurita sent Wolgast to the mat for a count of nine in the fifth, before finishing him shortly after for a full count with a left to the stomach and a right to the chin.
11.
On July 24,1936, Juan Zurita defeated Wolgast again in a ten round points decision at Legion Stadium in Hollywood, California.
12.
Juan Zurita forced the fighting through the entire bout and had the cleaner and more effective punches.
13.
The referee gave eight rounds to Juan Zurita, and two to Wolgast, though Braven Dyer of the Los Angeles Times felt the fight was a bit closer.
14.
Juan Zurita had lost to Wolgast three times previously in 1935, on February 21, May 21, and June 28 in ten round points decisions, first in Los Angeles and then twice at Legion Stadium in Hollywood.
15.
Juan Zurita probably carried the first two round on points with a furious attack.
16.
Juan Zurita lost again to Armstrong on October 13,1942, in a second round knockout at Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.
17.
On January 1,1937, Juan Zurita defeated Spanish boxer Baltasar Sangchili in a ten round points decision in Mexico City.
18.
Juan Zurita defeated New York based Puerto-Rican born Koli Kolo around June 1,1938, in a fourth round knockout in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico.
19.
On June 18,1938, Juan Zurita defeated talented Mexican boxer Rodolfo "Baby" Casanova in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in a sixth round Technical Knockout.
20.
Juan Zurita first took the Mexican Lightweight Title on September 10,1938, against Joe Conde in a twelve round points decision at the Arena in Mexico City, though few if any American newspapers covered the story.
21.
On May 15,1939, Juan Zurita first defeated Jimmy Hatcher in a ten round decision at the Walkathon Theater in San Antonio, Texas.
22.
Juan Zurita defeated Hatcher again on September 11,1942, in a second round technical knockout at Legion Stadium in Hollywood.
23.
On July 21,1940, Juan Zurita defeated Speedy Dado in a fifth round technical knockout at the Arena Progreso at Jalisco, Mexico.
24.
On May 17,1941, Juan Zurita defeated Carlos Miranda in a third round knockout in Mexico City.
25.
On November 14,1941, Juan Zurita defeated George Latka in a ten round points decision at Legion Stadium in Hollywood, California.
26.
Twice in the second and once in the tenth Juan Zurita scored against Latka with strong blows.
27.
Juan Zurita started on the aggressive, and though the middle rounds were close, Juan Zurita probably always led in points.
28.
On July 24,1942, Juan Zurita defeated Richie Lemos at Hollywood's Legion Stadium in a ten round points decision.
29.
Juan Zurita skillfully evaded the blows of Lemos with cunning, and landed left hooks to the body and rights and lefts to the head of Lemos throughout the bout.
30.
Woods held his own in the fourth and fifth, but Juan Zurita finished strong in the final rounds.
31.
Juan Zurita won the NBA World Lightweight Title on March 8,1944, against Sammy Angott in a fifteen round unanimous decision at Gilmore Field, the Hollywood Ball Park, in Los Angeles, California.
32.
Juan Zurita became the first Mexican to win the World Lightweight Championship in a bit of an upset victory that saw Angott as a 4 to 1 favorite.
33.
Juan Zurita skillfully blocked Angott's left hooks and uppercuts and scored with counter punches to the body, though Angott appeared tired and haggard from having to make the lightweight limit.
34.
Angott won only the first round when Juan Zurita appeared puzzled by his style, but the remaining fourteen rounds went to Juan Zurita by a comfortable and decisive margin.
35.
The crowd of 11,300 was not pleased by what they viewed as a somewhat lackluster performance, though Juan Zurita held his edge throughout the bout.
36.
Immediately after taking the World Lightweight Title, Juan Zurita lost to the great American Black boxer Beau Jack on March 31,1944, at New York's Madison Square Garden in a ten round points decision.
37.
Juan Zurita faded after the fifth round, and was given only three rounds to seven for Jack by the United Press.
38.
On October 6,1944, Juan Zurita defeated Pete Lello in a second round knockout at the Arena Coliseo in Mexico City.
39.
On October 18,1944, Juan Zurita knocked out Aldo Spoldi, European Lightweight Champion, in the fourth round at Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas.
40.
Juan Zurita lost the NBA World Lightweight Championship before a crowd of 35,000 by a second round knockout from Black New Jersey boxer Ike Williams in Mexico City on April 18,1945.
41.
Shortly after Juan Zurita was counted out, Williams' corner was crowded by fans, and several policeman were required to clear the ring before Williams could return to his dressing room.
42.
Juan Zurita defeated Mike Belloise on January 31,1945, in a third round technical decision, when Belloise failed to come out at the opening of the fourth round.
43.
Juan Zurita had floored the former World Featherweight Champion at the end of the third round with a right to the mid-section, but the bell sounded before a count could be completed.
44.
Juan Zurita died on Thursday, March 23,2000, in Mexico City after being in a coma for several days.
45.
Juan Zurita was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997.