The genius inspiration of Zacarias training
Three generations of the Zacarias family have been coaching and training the finest boxers in Argentina.
It all started more than seventy years ago with Santos, who had a career as a boxer, but realized that his special talents were in coaching. He inspired taught and brought to fruition the talents of the noble art in his Buenas Aires gym. Dedicated, focused but also a father figure to boxers, he provided a foundation of paternal strength, via a fountain of inspiration, with which he distilled and instilled conditioning, guile and skills sets which made him a legend. His marvellous, brilliant bright legacy has been continued by his Son Alberto and his Grandson Patricio. Also, there are more Zacarias generations, imbued with the DNA of boxing, who will strive to continue and advance this extraordinary ongoing story.
The WBC talked with Patricio about how it all started, how it`s developed and what he hopes the future will hold, bring and achieve.
WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR GRANDFATHER DON SANTOS?
My grandfather once told my father about when there were more hands that came than those that went, He decided to retire as a boxer, but his love for boxing was so great that he wanted to continue linked and so he dedicated himself to teaching and training boxers, not only looking for sporting achievements but also helping those who needed it, and from there was born one of his phrases that said: “You have to train good boxers, but mainly good people.
The memories I have of my grandfather are very pleasant. He was always a very affectionate, funny, a very honest person, and at the same time very serious, very self-confident, very upright in his thoughts and a hard worker. If he didn’t like something, he made it clear but always in a very respectful way and always defended his position and his beliefs.
HOW DO YOU VALUE HIS GENIUS AS A COACH?
As a coach he was unique. He trained from 0, from his beginnings to 2 World Champions among other figures, based on honesty and hard work. It is today that people tell me, I saw how your grandfather trained, his total dedication…nd he was crazy!!!
MANY FANS KNOW THE LEGENDARY ACHIEVEMENTS OF JUAN MARTIN COGGI. PLEASE ADVISE US ABOUT THE LIST OF OTHER FAMOUS CHAMPIONS, WHO OWE THEIR SUCCESS TO DON SANTOS, YOUR FATHER AND YOURSELF.
My grandfather trained great boxers at first alone and later working with my father, the most recognized are: Sergio Victor Palma, the first Argentine Champion to be crowned in the USA and Juan Martin Coggi, 3 times World Champion, but he had other boxers who have also disputed World Titles and have achieved recognition including: Enrique Jana, “machine gun” López, Faustino Barrios (who fought among others with Julio César Chávez), already together with my father Carolina Duer, 3 times world champion, Alberto Sicurella, Juan Carlos Villareal, Sergio Acuña, Adrian Daneff, Eduardo Álvarez, Vicente Rodríguez, and even more current, Jeremías Ponce, IBO World Champion and current IBF N1 with many chances to compete for the World Title in a few months, Daniela Rivero, Iara Altamirano among many other prospects that are forming and many that passed that I probably forgot to mention
MANY BOXERS SAY THE PRINCIPLES OF ZACARIAS ARE A LOT OF DISCIPLINE, CONCENTRATION, ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND TECHNIQUE. BUT ALSO THE PASSION OF DON SANTOS AND THE AUTHORITY IN HIS VOICE.
What you describe in this question is like this, those are many of my grandfather’s principles when training, a lot of discipline, concentration, attention to detail and technique. But also, the paternal passion in everything he did and his authority that was already noticeable only with his presence.
YOUR FATHER BEARS A REMARKABLE PHYSICAL RESSEMBLENCE TO DON SANTOS. ARE HIS COACHING METHODS SIMILAR?
My father’s methods and forms of work are very similar, always based on perseverance and honesty, effort and dedication, and we always try to follow my grandfather’s School, which he passed on to my father and my father to me. , but surely some things were left along the way and that no one can ever be like my Grandfather, with his great wisdom. He came to this World to train Boxers!!
HOW DID DON SANTOS TRANSMIT HIS REMARKABLE TRAINING ABILITIES TO YOUR FATHER AND YOURSELF. EXCELLENCE IN THE FAMILY HAS LASTED MORE THAN SEVENTY YEARS.
I think that some of this response is also answered with the previous one, but his greatest way of teaching was with action, with the example. It is very easy to say something and then not do it. He was the first to arrive and the last to leave, he always kept his word and gave himself to the maximum with every minute of preparation.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO CONTIUE, LOOKING TO THE FUTERE?
I hope the Santos Zacarias Boxing School continues forever. My brother, Eros, who is 16 years old, or my daughters, Valentina and Violeta, can continue it. Some teachers are also working with us. We try to get them to follow our School, or some of our boxers can do it, although Don Santos was unique.
WHAT DO BOXERS TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR TRAINING?
In general, they are very satisfied, and one can maintain it because it is shown by example, with facts. The boxers of our School, win or lose, will be well trained and will give their best to win, always maintaining a boxing line.
WHAT IS THE GREATEST SATISFACTION OF COACHING, FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?
The greatest satisfaction we have is that the years go by, and boxers continue to come to greet us and thank us for everything they have been through. People who perhaps were never boxers, because “apart from training good boxers, we have to train good people”, that is the greatest legacy and the greatest teaching that Santos left us.
