INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Daniel Zaragoza won a split decision over Paul Banke Thursday night to retain his World Boxing Council super-bantamweight championship.
Zaragoza, 122 pounds, used his ring experience to weather a ninth round knockdown from a right-left combination by Banke.
By fight's end, Zaragosa had cuts over and under both eyes and on his scalp though they were never a factor in a fight marked by furious exchanges during all 12 rounds.
Banke, 121 pounds, taunted Zaragoza by talking to him throughout the entire fight and was taking two punches in order to throw one. Banke was warned on several occasions for taunting and continuing to punch after the bell.
Judge Newton Campos gave Zaragoza the edge, 116-110, and judge Chuck Gianpa, scored the bout, 117-110, in favor of Zaragoza. Judge Guillermo Ayon favored Banke, 115-113.
Banke, expecting victory, jumped into the air during the announcing of the decision, but fell to his knees when Zaragosa was awarded the decision.
Zaragosa lifted his record to 37-4-1 with 18 KOs, while Banke fell to 16-4 with eight knockouts.
Zaragoza, a 31-year-old from Mexico City, won the WBC title in 1985 but lost it in his first defense. He regained the crown last year by stopping Carlos Zarate in 12 rounds and had successfully defended his championship twice.
Banke, 25, from Quail Valley, Calif., had stopped three of his last four opponents.
Thursday's bout, held at the Forum, was originally scheduled for March 20, but Zaragoza suffered an eardrum infection during training. The fight was moved to April 25 but postponed again when the infection was slow to heal.
