Bantamweight Champions Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sixto "El Gallito" Escobar

Escobar won the then powerful National Boxing Association (NBA) scoring a 12-round decision over the "Baby Cyclone" Canadian Pete Sanstol at the forum in Montreal Canada 7 August 1935. He won universal recognition on 31 August 1936 when he scored a 13th round knockout over Tony Marino at the Dyckman Oval in New York City.

After losing and regaining the undisputed world bantamweight championship from Harry Jeffra, Escobar successfully defended the title one time scoring a 15-round decision over KO Morgan in Puerto Rico 2 April 1939. Escobar gave up the bantamweight championship after a non title lost 4 October 1939.

After a 10-round lost to nemises Jeffra in December of 1940, the then 27-year old Escobar retired. Pedro Montanez who received hall of fame induction in 2006 fought for world championships on three occasions losing twice to Henry Armstrong and once to Lou Ambers.

Many consider his final championship fight (against Armstrong) the most savage in boxing history. A stadium was built in his hometown of Cayey Puerto Rico and named after him. Puerto Rico born Luis Ortiz was the first Puerto Rican national to win a boxing medal at the olympic games.

He did it at the 1984 games (Puerto Rico born Jose Torres won a silver medal at the 1956 games, however, he represented the United States). Ortiz also won a silver medal losing a decision in the final to hall of famer Pernell Whitaker. Torres is a former lightheavyweight champion who after his boxing days became the New York State boxing commissioner as well as an accomplished writer.

Answer: Carlos Zarate vs. Alfonso Zamora

The date: 23 April 1977, location Inglewood California. Undefeated bantamweight champions Alfonso Zamora (WBA)(28-0) and Carlos Zarate (WBC)(45-0) fought a scheduled 10 round non-title bout. Zarate stopped Zamora in four action packed rounds. Olivares won two of three from nemisis Castillo.

The then undefeated Richie Sandoval retired the then once beaten defending champion "Joltin" Jeff Chandler, stopping the Philadelphian in the 15th round of their 1984 battle. Panama Al Brown (Alfonso Teofilo Brown) was defeated by Spain's Baltasar Sangchili after a nearly six year championship reign (He was 16 days short) by 15-round decision in 1935.

He would avenge the lost decisioning Sangchili over 15 as well in his adopted hometown of Paris France in 1938. No title was at stake though.

Answer: Masahiko "Fighting" Harada

Harada, after winning (October 1962) and losing (January 1963) the world flyweight to Pone Kingpetch while still a teenager (19), moved up in weight and defeated hall of famer Eder Jofre for bantamweight honors 17 May 1965 in Nagoya Japan. Harada lost his title to Lionel Rose in 1968. Harada retired from boxing in 1970 after two unsuccessful attempts at the (WBC) featherweight title. Jofre held the bantamweight title from 1960 to 1965.

He later won the WBC featherweight title. Slick boxing, glass chinned Erinque Pinder held the bantamweight belt 1972-1973. Manuel Ortiz held the title for nearly eight years 1942 to 1950 minus a three month spell in 1947 (January 6 to March 10) when he lost and regained the belt from Harold Dade.

Answer: Jimmy Carruthers

Australia born Jimmy Carruthers on 15 November 1952 won the world bantamweight championship in only his 15th professional bout. Carruthers traveled to Johannesburg South Africa and knocked out defending champion Vic Toweel in the first round of their scheduled 15-rounder.

He would again kayo (in the 10th round) Toweel in their rematch 21 March 1953. Their second bout also took place in Johannesburg SA.

Answer: "Terrible" Terry McGovern

After champion Jimmy Barry retired (as undefeated bantamweight champion) in 1899 McGovern kayoed Thomas "Pedlar" Palmer on 12 September 1899 in the first round of their scheduled 25-round bout for the vacant title. Less than four months later McGovern would defeat George Dixon for the world featherweight championship. Both victories occurred in New York. McGovern also defeated Joe Gans, however rumor has it Gans threw the fight.

Answer: Joe Becerra

After six years and 68 fights, Becerra, on 8 July 1959, won the world bantamweight championship by stopping Alphonso Hamili in the 8th round of their scheduled 15 rounder in Los Angeles. Becerra was still bantamweight champion when he initially retired in 1960. Martinez lost his WBC Bantamweight championship via 9th round knockout to Carlos Zarate in 1976. Pintor, after defeating Seung Hoo Lee in 1982 vacated the bantamweight championship to fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight against champion Wilfredo Gomez.

He was stopped in the 14th round. Lora after three years as champion was dethroned by Raul Perez on 29 October 1988. Losing a unanimous 12- round decision. Lora would lose in two attempts to regain a bantamweight belt (WBO).

Answer: Charley Phil Rosenberg

Rosenberg collected his first victory in his ninth professional bout defeating Sammy Butts via 10-round decision. He would defeat Eddie "Cannonball" Martin for the bantamweight title 20 March 1925. He was stripped of the bantamweight title because he could not make the weight defending against Bushy Graham in 1927. Rumor also had it that Rosenberg and Graham had a secret agreement between them. Both were suspended. Goldstein won and lost the title in 1924. Cohen was champion from 1954 to 1956. Eddie "Cannonball" Martin (his real name was Eduardo Vittorio Martino) won the world title by beating Abe Goldstein in 1924 via 15-round decision.

He would lost it to Rosenberg via the decision route (15 rounds) in 1925.

Answer: Jeff Fenech

Australia-born superfighter Jeff Fenech defeated Satoshi Shingaki for the (IBF) bantamweight championship in only his seventh professional fight. Fenech who is by far Australia's greatest fighter, won his third world championship in only his 20th professional fight.

He narrowly missed winning a fourth championship (WBC Super featherweight) when (in a fight Fenech clearly won) Africa's great ring warrior Azumah Nelson was given a gift draw against Fenech in Las Vegas in June of 1991. Nelson who was said to have fought with Malaria in that bout, soundly defeated Fenech in a rematch stopping the "Australian Assassin" in eight rounds. Gomez, whom many claim is Puerto Rico's greatest fighter won championships in the (WBC) super bantamweight, (WBC) featherweight and (WBA) super featherweight divisions.

He and Fenech never fought one another. Mexico's Carlos Zarate who lost by technical decision to Fenech on 16 October 1987 (Fenech defended the WBC Super Bantamweight Championship) was a (WBC) bantamweight champion from 1976 to 1979. Puerto Rican power puncher Victor Callegas (who was stopped by Fenech on 7 March 1988) was a world champion in the (WBC) super bantamweight division.

He gave up that belt to fight Fenech for the vacant (WBC) featherweight championship. Fenech brutally beat Callegas, stopping the hard punching Puerto Rican in the 10th round of their scheduled 12 rounder. Fenech received boxing's greatest honor being inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame in 2002.

Answer: Orlando Canizales

Future Hall of Famer Orlando Canizales lost a (US) televised NABF championship (bantamweight) fight to 1984 olympic flyweight gold medalist Paul Gonzales who sported a 4-0 record coming into their encounter on 20 July 1986. In his ninth bout afterwards on 9 July 1988 he stopped the courageous Kelvin Seabrooks in the 15th round to win the (IBF) bantamweight championship. Charlotte North Carolina native Kelvin Seabrooks won the vacant (IBF) bantamweight championship stopping Columbian Miquel Maturana in the 5th round in May of 1987.

After losing the belt to Canizales in July of 1988, he challenged Canizales to a rematch that took place on 24 June 1989. Seabrooks though over-matched and badly beaten, never gave up and the bout was mercifully stopped by the referee in the 11th round of the scheduled 12-rounder. Seabrooks lost seven of his next (and last) eight fights including his final six. Austin was (IBF) bantamweight champion from 1997 to 2003. Botile held the (IBF) bantamweight championship from 1995 until defeated by Austin in 1997. Oh, by the way Canizales lost in his attempt to win the (WBA) super bantamweight championship losing a 12-round split decision on 7 January 1995 to Wilfredo Vasquez in San Antonio Texas.

Answer: Jose Gaby Canizales

After losing a 15-round decision for the WBA bantamweight title to Jeff Chandler in 1983 Canizales, many said looked like a young Roberto Duran after nearly killing Richie Sandoval, knocking him out in the seventh round of their scheduled 15-rounder in March of 1986 for the WBA bantamweight championship. Sandoval, who nearly died, never fought again. Canizales lost the belt in his first title defense to Bernardo Pinango three months later on 4 June 1986.

After losing a decision to Raul Perez for the WBC bantamweight championship in 1990. Canizales won the newly created WBO bantamweight championship (Champion Israel Contreras vacated the WBO title in 1990 to fight then WBA bantamweight champ Luisito Espinosa whom he KO'd in five rounds), knocking out former (WBC) bantamweight champion (1985-88) Miguel "Happy" Lora in two rounds. Again, Canizales lost a world (WBO Bantamweight) championship in his first defense this time to Duke McKenzie on 30 June 1991 by decision (12 rounds) in London England. Canizales who is the older brother of former long reigning (IBF) bantamweight champion (1988-94) Orlando Canizales, never fought again.