Hilario Zapata

Who is Hilario Zapata?

Hilario Zapata is a former boxer who was a two-time world Jr. Flyweight champion and a one time world flyweight champion. Zapata is a Panamanian.

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: By his fifth bout, on July 1, 1978, he was meeting former world Flyweight champion Joan 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, and he gifted himself with a birthday present by beating Kim by a 10 round decision on August 19 of that year, when he turned 20. 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.