Zachara začal boxovať ako 16-ročný v trenčianskej sokolovni. V roku 1946 získal titul majstra Slovenska v mušej váhe, v tom istom roku obliekol československý reprezentačný dres na Všeslovanských majstrovstvách v Prahe.
Ján Zachara was born on August 27, 1928 in Kubrá near Trenčín. In 1943 he enrolled at the local boxing team. Yet during the war, his father was sent to the concentration camp in Ravensbrück, from where he returned with weakened health.