Wilfredo Gómez vs Carlos Zárate - Highlights (Mexico vs Puerto Rico BOXING CLASSIC)

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October 28th, 1978. Undefeated hard hitters Wilfredo “Bazooka” Gómez and Carlos "Cañas" Zárate clashed in an all-out war for the WBC Super Bantamweight Championship in the Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan in Puerto Rico where rabid Mexican and Puerto Rican boxing fans were ready for all hell to break loose as they witnessed this historic bout.
Both fighters had a stunning combined record of 73(72)-0-1 going into the fight that (according to many boxing experts) served as the precursor that birthed the Mexico-Puerto Rico boxing rivalry.
Note: The 1st ever Mexico vs Puerto Rico Superfight took place between Sixto Escobar and Rodolfo Casanova in the Forum, Montreal, Quebec in Canada on Jun 26th 1934 where Escobar successfully retained his WBC Bantamweight Title via KO9. It was also the 1st ever world title fight between a Puerto Rican a and Mexican.
Prefight records; Gómez 21(21)-0-1, Zárate 52(51)-0.
In Jun 1976, Zárate won the WBC Bantamweight Title via KO9 over Rodolfo Martinez and went on to make 8 successful defenses of the title between August 1976 and Jun 1978.
For his next fight, Zárate moved up to 122 pounds and made his debut taking on former WBC Bantamweight Champion and reigning WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Wilfredo Gómez.
In May 1977, Gómez captured the WBC Super Bantamweight Title via KO12 over Dong Kyun Yum and proceeded to make 5 successful defenses of the title between July 1977 and September 1978.
For his 6th defense, he was up against Carlos Zárate who had recently moved up to Super Bantamweight after a dominant 26 month stint as WBC Bantamweight Champion.
Entering the bout, the 21 year old Gómez hailing from Las Monjas, Puerto Rico had notable victories over the likes of Alberto Davila, Juan Antonio Lopez, Dong Kyun Yum, Leonardo Cruz & Royal Kobayashi while the 28 year old Zárate of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico had defeated top oppositions in Alberto Davila, Alfonso Zamora, Andres Hernández, Fernando Cabanella, Juan Francisco Rodriguez, Nestor Jimenez, Orlando Amores, Paul Ferreri & Rodolfo Martinez.
It was alleged that Zárate had suffered a cold or pneumonia the week prior to the bout where he was permitted to consume nothing but orange juice days preceding the fight. He also had to enter a sauna and inside a heated car in order to make weight on the day of the fight itself.
According to Zárate himself, all of his bones were in pain and he wanted a postponement but threats of hefty lawsuits by various parties left him with no choice but to change his mind as he might have to compensate twice the amount of money he would earn had he elected to pull out that afternoon.
On the day of the weigh in, it took Zárate 4 attempts and Gómez 2 attempts to make the 122 pound weight limit.
The 2 Latino greats produced an unforgettable classic; the challenger was the aggressor who persistently stalked the champion who often counterattacked with his own 2-fisted offenses whilst moving in and out of firing range.
In round 1, both fighters were cautious as they looked to set up their pace and eventually Zárate initiated the exchanges but it was Gómez who found his mark and connected with a number of lefts and rights upstairs.
In round 2, Gómez found success with a number of head shots after working the body but Gómez returned the favor with near equal measure in the same manner.
In round 3, Gómez evidently landed the more accurate punches with the use of lateral movements to create angles and effectively evaded the majority of Zárate’s punches.
In round 4, Gómez scored the 1st knockdown with a pinpoint counter left hook and just after the resilient Zárate shakily rose to his feet he followed up with ferocious fusillades upstairs and downstairs to earn the 2nd knockdown just as the bell sounded. Zárate was up immediately and nailed with a left hook as referee Harry Gibbs administered the count.
In round 5, Zárate went down for the 3rd and final time as Gómez wasted no time finishing where he left off with bombardments of head shots after head shots and even landed a right hand right after the knockdown had occurred. As Gibbs was about to start the count, the challenger’s corner had seen enough and threw in the towel which resulted in a thunderous reaction from the ecstatic crowd who had cheered all the way through this legendary collision.
At the 0:44 mark of round 5, Wilfredo Gómez retained his WBC Super Bantamweight Championship via TKO5 and improved his perfect professional record to 22(22)-0-1.
Hope you guys enjoy this highlight of a Mexico vs Puerto Rico BOXING CLASSIC which is one of the greatest chapters in the book of boxing’s greatest rivalries and remember to SUBSCRIBE for continuous boxing awesomeness!