Carlos Zarate vs. Fernando Cabanela

Carlos Zarate 118 lbs beat Fernando Cabanela 116 lbs by TKO at 1:30 in round 3 of 15

• Date: 1977-02-05
• Location: El Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
• Referee: George Latka

"Carlos Zarate, 117 1/2, of Mexico stopped Fernando Cabanela, 116 1/4, of the Philippines midway through the 3rd round of their scheduled 15-round fight Saturday night and retained his WBC bantamweight title. Referee George Latka stopped the bout with 1:30 gone in the round after Zarate had opened a bad cut over Cabanela's right eye with an accidental butt in the 2nd round. The butt opened the cut immediately and blood began flowing down the Philippine challenger's face. Latka stopped the fight for about 1 1/2 minutes after the butt to allow the ringside doctor to inspect the injury and to allow the challenger's handlers time to decide if they wanted Cabanela to continue. Manager Phil Silver agreed to let Cabanela try to fight one more round. Cabanela charged out of his corner in the 3rd round hoping for a quick knockout, but the speedy hands of the champion opened the cut further." -Associated Press