Zabala paid him half of his requested payment upon arrival; however, he refused to pay the remaining difference after the fight, citing the terms of the existing contract.
Zabala retained his close contacts with fighters and trainers in Puerto Rico, however, and continued to promote events on the Caribbean nation.
Tuto Zabala's first champion was Dominican Republic native Carlos Teo Cruz, a lightweight with a good chin and a light punch.
Besides Florentino Fernandez, Teo Cruz and Vicente Rondon, Tuto Zabala promoted Miguel "Happy" Lora, Alfredo Escalera, Robinson Pitalua, Angel Espada, Jose Gonzalez, Pedro Miranda, Sammy Serrano and many other main event fighters and prelim club fighters.
We had lechón asada and black beans.” Willie Martinez was entering Miami's boxing scene, and it was Zabala who helped him put together his first program.
For months they fought over the rights to Miguel “Happy” Lora, the celebrated Colombian bantamweight Zabala had guided over several years to a world championship.
This displeased Martinez to the point that he paid two Metro-Dade Police officers to stop Zabala and his wife as they were leaving a restaurant.
Martinez was arrested in 1988 and pleaded guilty to drug and money-laundering charges and agreed to turn in his associates; two years later he had helped lock up three cops, a DEA agent, and other crooks.
Telemundo broadcast a lot of Zabala cards at the Mahi Temple and at the Curtis Ivy Police Athletic League gym in Homestead.
Zabala had been following this practice (independent of his network television deals) for about two decades, ensuring that the programs reach his most passionate audiences.