Female Mexican Welterweight Jeanette Zacarias Zapata Dies in Coma in Canada From Bout Injuries
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Los Angeles, CA (September 4th, 2021)– Compounding the news Oscar De La Hoya is in the hospital in Los Angeles, California, after contracting COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus while training for his comeback exhibition bout with Vitor Belfort, the professional boxing world has been hit with another tragedy. Female Mexican welterweight Jeanette Zacarias “La Chicaboom” Zapata, age 18, died in a medically induced coma, after she fell unconscious during a boxing match last Saturday, August 28, 2021.
Zacarias, 2-4, Villa de Puertecitos, Aguascalientes, Mexico, was fighting 4-0-1 Marie Pier Houle of Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada, when she was stopped in the corner after the fourth round, two minute female rounds, in a welterweight bout at Stade IGA in Montreal, Canada. Zapata was hit with a flurry of punches from Houle near the end of the fourth round. Zapata appeared to convulse after Houle landed an uppercut causing her mouthpiece to fly out, and quickly fell unconscious after the end of the round.
Zapata was knocked out by undefeated world ranked female super welterweight Cynthia Lozano of Monterrey, Mexico, in the sixth round of a bout at Arena Coliseo in Reynosa, Mexico, on May 15, 2021. She had to pass a series of neurological exams in Montreal before this bout was approved. Zapata, who died at age 18, was knocked or stopped by her last three ring opponents, all of whom are world ranked and were undefeated at the time she fought them. The other opponent who stopped Zapata in her previous three losses, Alma Ibarra of Monterrey, Mexico, holds the lone loss of Zapata’s three previous opponents on BoxRec. Ibarra lost a ten round decision to still undefeated female world champion Raquel Miller of San Francisco, California, for the World Boxing Association World Super Welterweight championship by ten round decision in Quebec City in 2019.
Official Statement by Event Promoter Groupe Yvon Michel
It is with great sadness and torment that we have learned, from a representative of her family (husband and trainer Jovanni Martinez) Jeannette Zacarias Zapata passed away this afternoon at 3:45 P.M. The entire team at Groupe Yvon Michel team is extremely distressed by this painful announcement. We would like to offer our most sincere condolences to her family, loved ones and especially her husband Jovanni Martinez who was at her bedside until her last moments.”
Social Media Statement of Marie Pier Houle After Learning Zapata Was Hospitalized
Never, ever, is the (it my) intention of seriously injuring an opponent in my plans. My sincere thoughts go to my opponent, Jeanette Zacarias Zapata, as well as to her family.”
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