He began fighting professionally in early 1932,at the tender age of 14 and a half, on the Western Mexican coast in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Early in his career, Zurita won the Featherweight Championship of Mexico, defeating Joe Conde on February 24, 1934, in a twelve round points decision for the title.

On January 4, 1935, Zurita defeated Pablo Dano in a ten round points decision at Legion Stadium in Hollywood, California.

The referee gave eight rounds to Zurita, and two to Wolgast, though Braven Dyer of the Los Angeles Times felt the fight was a bit closer.

[8][9] He had lost to Wolgast three times previously in 1935, on February 21, May 21, and June 28 in ten round points decisions, first in Los Angeles and then twice at Legion Stadium in Hollywood.

On August 18, 1936, Zurita lost to exceptional Black boxer Henry Armstrong in a fourth round knockout at Olympic Stadium in Los Angeles.

On January 1, 1937, Zurita defeated Spanish boxer Baltasar Sangchili in a ten round points decision in Mexico City.

[2] Zurita defeated New York based Puerto-Rican born Koli Kolo around June 1, 1938, in a fourth round knockout in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico.

[2] On June 18, 1938, Zurita defeated talented Mexican boxer Rodolfo "Baby" Casanova in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in a sixth round Technical Knockout.

[2] Zurita first took the Mexican Lightweight Title on September 10, 1938, against Joe Conde in a twelve round points decision at the Arena in Mexico City, though few if any American newspapers covered the story.

[2] On November 14, 1941, Zurita defeated George Latka in a ten round points decision at Legion Stadium in Hollywood, California.

[15] On August 19, 1942, Zurita defeated Black boxer Henry Woods in a ten round points decision at the Auditorium in Oakland, California.

[16] Zurita won the NBA World Lightweight Title on March 8, 1944, against Sammy Angott in a fifteen round unanimous decision at Gilmore Field, the Hollywood Ball Park, in Los Angeles, California.

[17][18] Immediately after taking the World Lightweight Title, Zurita lost to the great American Black boxer Beau Jack on March 31, 1944, at New York's Madison Square Garden in a ten round points decision.

Jack, a popular favorite, held the NYSAC Lightweight Championship at the time of the bout, which may have accounted for the size of the crowd.

[24] On October 18, 1944, Zurita knocked out Aldo Spoldi, European Lightweight Champion, in the fourth round at Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas.

[25] Zurita lost the NBA World Lightweight Championship before a crowd of 35,000 by a second round knockout from Black New Jersey boxer Ike Williams in Mexico City on April 18, 1945.

Zurita had floored the former World Featherweight Champion at the end of the third round with a right to the mid-section, but the bell sounded before a count could be completed.