Paul Banke

Career

Banke began his professional boxing career in 1985. In June 1989, he lost a 12-round split decision to Daniel Zaragoza, but he bounced back in April 1990 by upsetting Zaragoza with a ninth-round TKO to capture the WBC Super Bantamweight Title. He successfully defended that belt once in August 1990, stopping undefeated Ki Hoon Lee in the twelfth round in South Korea after knocking Lee down three times.

However, in November 1990, Banke was knocked down three times in the fourth round and lost his title to Pedro Ruben Decima via fourth-round stoppage. He went on to lose five of his final six bouts, including a third meeting with Zaragoza in a 12-round rematch for the WBC title. After a ten-round decision loss to winless Mexican journeyman Juan Francisco Soto (0-8) in December 1993, Banke retired at age 29 with a record of 21–9 and 11 knockouts.

Later life

Banke battled drug use during his boxing career and eventually overcame it. About two years after his last fight, in 1995, he was diagnosed with AIDS. He later returned to drug use but successfully completed a drug rehab program. Now residing in Los Feliz, California, Banke lives with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known as dementia pugilistica, a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head trauma from his professional boxing career.