Canadian Boxer Daren Zenner, Once Ranked 7th in the World, Dies at 48

Facebook/Daren Zenner Daren Zenner pictured on her Facebook page.

Daren Zenner, the Canadian boxer with 27 wins, has died suddenly. Zenner was ranked 7th in the world at one point in his career. Zenner fought his first professional bout in 1990 and retired in 2000.

According to his obituary, Zenner died on May 13. He was 48 years old. Zenner would have turned 49 on May 30. His passing is described as “sudden.” Zenner is survived by his four daughters.

Zenner Fought His First-Ever Fight at 14

Zenner grew up in Bezanson, a hamlet in northern Alberta, 250 miles east of Edmonton. According to an article written by Zenner’s mother, Wanda, for the website Discover Bezanson, Zenner was a track-and-field athlete, as well as a basketball, hockey and fastball player in his youth. Wanda Zenner wrote that it was Zenner’s grandfather, who had boxed in the army, who turned his grandson on to boxing. As a result, the family turned their family garage into a boxing gym. Wanda Zenner said her son fought his first-ever boxing match at the age of 14.

Zenner won a gold medal at the Alberta Winter Games in 1988. Following that victory, Zenner moved to Edmonton to begin professional training, his mother wrote in 2019. Wanda Zenner said her son’s first trainer was Canadian boxing champion Ken Lakusta.

Zenner fought his first professional fight in July 1990. His first fight was a victory over Mexican fighter Ariel Conde in Las Vegas, according to BoxRec. Zenner moved to the Bronx, New York, in 1991 to continue his professional training. Over a 12-month period between October 1994 and October 1995, Zenner won the USBA Regional Super Middleweight Championship, the Westchester USBA Championship and the New York State Super Middleweight Championship.

Zenner adopted an orthodox stance during his career, according to his BoxRec profile.

Zenner’s Biggest Fight Came in 1997 When He Battled Dariusz Michaelczewski for the WBO Light Heavyweight Title

Over the course of his career, Zenner fought 33 times, winning 27 with 19 knockouts. In December 1997, Zenner fought in a major fight for the WBO Light Heavyweight Title against champion Dariusz Michaelczewski in Hamburg, Germany. The fight was stopped in the 6th round “due to cuts.”

Zenner’s final fight was a victory over Robert Thomas in July 2000 in Covington, Tennessee.

Following Retirement, Zenner Began a Career in Real Estate

Following retirement, Zenner moved to Long Island, New York, and began a career of real estate investment, according to his obituary. From there, Zenner moved to Florida before relocating home to Canada. A 2017 press release announced that Zenner had started a new marketing company, dtzMedia. The company promised to help businesses appear on the first page of Google search and secure 10,000 Twitter followers.

Zenner’s Mother Said in 2019 That Her Son Was Working on a Memoir Titled From Bezanson to the Bronx – Daren Zenner With & Amongst Champions

Zenner’s obituary ends:

Daren had trained and had been in the company of some of the greatest talents in the boxing industry – Sugar Ray Leonard, Buster Douglas, Mike Tyson, Roger Mayweather, Arturo Gatti and Evander Holyfield to name a few.

In January 1995, Zenner fought Tony Thornton in Philadelphia. Thornton’s trainer, Wesley Mouzon, described Zenner as a “tough, plodding fight with a big right hand.” Thornton would go on to win the fight via knockout.

Zenner’s mother wrote in 2019 that her son was working on a memoir about his life that was preliminarily titled, From Bezanson to the Bronx – Daren Zenner With and Amongst Champions.

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