Hilario Zapata
| Hilario Zapata | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Nickname(s) | Bujía |
| Rated at |
Light flyweight Flyweight Super flyweight |
| Height | 5 ft 6 1⁄2 in (169 cm) |
| Nationality | Panamanian |
| Born |
August 19, 1958 Panama City, Panama |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 54 |
| Wins | 43 |
| Wins by KO | 14 |
| Losses | 10 |
| Draws | 1 |
Hilario Zapata (born August 19, 1958) is a Panamanian former professional boxer. He held the WBC light flyweight and WBA flyweight titles, and challenged once for the WBC super flyweight title.
Zapata began his professional boxing career in 1977, beating Victor Lopez by a knockout in the second round. He had 2 wins in '77.
He had a fast ascent to the top, starting in 1978. By his fifth bout, on July 1, he was meeting former world Flyweight champion Juan Guzmán in Panama City, beating Guzman by a decision in ten. His next fight, against Yong-Hwang Kim, in South Korea, was his first fight abroad; he gave himself a twentieth birthday present by beating Kim by a 10 round decision on August 19. Then, he met future world Flyweight champion Alfonso Lopez, for the vacant Latin American Jr. Flyweight belt. Zapata suffered his first loss in the fight against Lopez, when he was beaten by a decision in 12.
He started 1979 with a fight against Ramon Perez in Puerto Rico, winning by a knockout in nine. He had three more wins in 1979, including one over the two time world Flyweight champion Freddie Castillo, and by the end of that year he was ranked number one in the world among Jr. Flyweight challengers by the WBC.
Zapata went to Japan in March 1980, and on the 24th day of that month he beat defending world champion Shigeo Nakajima to become world Jr. Flyweight champion. He defended his title against Chi-Bok Kim, winning a 15 round unanimous decision in South Korea, against Hector Rey Melendez in Venezuela, winning also by a 15 round decision, against Nakajima in a Tokyo rematch, winning by knockout in 11, and against Reynaldo Becerra in Venezuela. He closed out 1980 win a 15 round decision win over Becerra.
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