Zaragoza Defends Title Against Duarte Tonight

Daniel Zaragoza of Mexico City will defend his World Boxing Council super-bantam-weight championship for the fourth time tonight against aging Los Angeles battler Frankie Duarte.

About 6,000 are expected at the Forum to see what many expect to be the popular Duarte’s last stand, and also to watch Paul Gonzales of East Los Angeles fight a tough bantamweight, Armando Castro of Mexico.

In a third “main event,” lightweight Ruben Castillo, on a comeback, will meet Edgar Castro of Miami, no relation to Armando.

Zaragoza, who won his championship by stopping countryman Carlos Zarate at the Forum in early 1988, last defended it at the Forum in June, when he won a decision over Paul Banke.

Tonight’s card is almost a seniors’ show. Zaragoza is 31. Duarte turns 35 Sunday. Castillo is 31.

Zaragoza, who says he wants to defend his super-bantamweight title three or four more times before making a try for a featherweight championship, is one of the sport’s most skilled boxers, yet one of its least-known champions.

He can make a harder-hitting opponent hit air, as he frequently did with Banke, and he can counter-punch with the best. He’s most dangerous inside, where he employs short, hard punches to head and body.

Duarte, who turned pro in 1973, was never a world champion but was the No. 2-ranked bantamweight in 1976.

He lost several prime years of his career because of a drug problem, beginning in 1979. He bounced back several years ago, however, in what was billed as “Miracle at Ten Goose,” referring to his managing group at the time, Ten Goose Boxing of North Hollywood.

In the comeback, there were rousing victories over Jesus Salud in 1986 and Alberto Davila in 1987. But in the last year, he has struggled mightily to defeat three mediocre opponents.

Zaragoza is 38-4-1, Duarte 45-7-1.

The hard-luck Gonzales (13-1) has had only 14 pro fights since turning pro in 1985, thanks to a series of bizarre injuries involving automobiles and bicycles.

He is taking on a Mexican fighter who, on paper, appears to be a dangerous opponent.

Armando Castro (19-7), who has fought outside Mexico only once, has 13 knockouts. He’s a former Mexican super-flyweight champion and successfully defended that title twice.

He fought at the Forum last June, knocking out Daniel Garcia of Inglewood in one round.

The battle plan for Gonzales, the 1984 light-flyweight Olympic gold medalist, is to beat Castro, then lobby for a WBC super-flyweight title bout against Mexican Gilberto Roman, who appears at the Forum in a Sept. 12 title fight.

Tonight’s card begins at 6:30. Gonzales-Armando Castro is scheduled for 7 p.m., to be followed by Zaragoza-Duarte. Castillo-Edgar Castro is the final main.

Castillo has a 65-6-1 record and Edgar Castro is 24-4-1.