Castillo's run at 135 was one of the best ever

[Fox McCloud]

I know I've asked this question before, but... I'll ask again.

Everyone had Roberto Duran at #1 in the lightweight division, now and forever, in both ability and resume.

I've heard shoutouts for Mayweather and Mosley for 2nd place in ability as a lightweight, but they never faced badass competition for a long period of time, so their resumes can't compete. I think Castillo showed that his ability is pretty close to Mayweather's in both fights. Even the second fight that he clearly lost, he hung tough, and still made the fight pretty hellacious for Mayweather, considering every fight Mayweather had before Castillo was a walk in the park.

Resume-wise at lightweight, where would you put Castillo? I don't know anything about the history of the sport... in fact, 1990 is about as old as I can go for credible knowledge on things in history of the sport.

So...

1. Duran
2. ???

Is Castillo there, or who has a lightweight resume that can match his?

Let's hear it!

[-Antonio-]

People might throw out names like Arguello and Whitaker. Carlos Ortiz is another one.

[VIVA MEXICO!!]

I think Castillo's run at 135 might be one of the most underrated things in boxing. Have you gone to boxrec and seen the plethora of badasses he fought? And even more impressive, he did them all almost back to back to back, etc.

1. Beats Stevie Johnston, then gets a draw against him... considered the top talent in the lightweight division when Shane Mosley left. Slick beyond slickness. Two time WBC lightweight champion, losing it to Cesar Bazan, but avenging that loss in a rematch, regaining the WBC belt.

2. Has two close fights with Floyd Mayweather Jr. (one is a toss up on whether he won or not for most people). Mayweather had just had a great run at 130, dominating Diego Corrales and beating Jesus Chavez, two future lightweight champions. To this day, he made Mayweather fight the hardest for a victory. Mayweather won the WBC title in the first fight.

3. Cesar Bazan, the man who gave Stevie Johnston his first loss was a former WBC lightweight champion when he fought Castillo.

4. Juan Lazcano, who was actually considered a top challenger in the division, held a win over Stevie Johnston to get a shot at Castillo's WBC belt.

5. Joel Casamayor, after a good run at 130, jumps up to challenge Castillo. Eventually won the WBC lightweight belt from Diego Corrales.

6. Julio Diaz, had just won the IBF lightweight title from Javier Jauregui before losing to Castillo. Later, regained the IBF lightweight title from Jesus Chavez.

7. Diego Corrales, had an extremely good run at 130 that got him P4P ranked for a time. Won the WBO lightweight championship from Acelino Freitas in his first fight at lightweight. Beat Castillo in the first fight (although I felt Castillo definately had the momentum in that fight until the KO), but was avenged in the rematch by a 4th round KO. Also held the WBC lightweight championship

I mean, wow. 11 fights at lightweight, and he compiled the names of 7 really good, if not great fighters. The second Corrales fight doesn't count at lightweight, so that is why it's not 12. Including the rematches with Johnston and Mayweather, that means that 9 out of Castillo's 11 fights were against top contenders or former/current/future champions. 9 title runs were represented between the 6 fighters listed above (Lazcano didn't win a title).

Absolutely incredible.

plain and basic common sense. his record is only marred by the mayweather robbery.

[The Gambler1981]

JLC was the truth at lightweight and he does belong in the Hall of Fame. Lightweight is an old ass division with a ton of great fighters so I would have a hard time putting him in the top 5 all time but that is more because the other guys then a knock against JLC.

[bsrizpac]

Excellent thread and post.

Jose Luis Castillo definitely belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Agreed. he was, and is a badass. All around skills, stamina, great chin, could fight inside, outside, could adjust to any style, good power. Only knock on him would be slow handspeed or footspeed. Humble guy.

Def deserves ATG status.

[bsrizpac]

plain and basic common sense. his record is only marred by the mayweather robbery.

You don't know how to score fights midget. I've asked before Hobbit and you'e always run scared. Post your scorecard with a detailed analysis of each round or SHUT THE **** UP.

[Fox McCloud]

I will not let this thread die already.

[2120]

I think Castillo's run at 135 might be one of the most underrated things in boxing. Have you gone to boxrec and seen the plethora of badasses he fought? And even more impressive, he did them all almost back to back to back, etc.

1. Beats Stevie Johnston, then gets a draw against him... considered the top talent in the lightweight division when Shane Mosley left. Slick beyond slickness. Two time WBC lightweight champion, losing it to Cesar Bazan, but avenging that loss in a rematch, regaining the WBC belt.

2. Has two close fights with Floyd Mayweather Jr. (one is a toss up on whether he won or not for most people). Mayweather had just had a great run at 130, dominating Diego Corrales and beating Jesus Chavez, two future lightweight champions. To this day, he made Mayweather fight the hardest for a victory. Mayweather won the WBC title in the first fight.

3. Cesar Bazan, the man who gave Stevie Johnston his first loss was a former WBC lightweight champion when he fought Castillo.

4. Juan Lazcano, who was actually considered a top challenger in the division, held a win over Stevie Johnston to get a shot at Castillo's WBC belt.

5. Joel Casamayor, after a good run at 130, jumps up to challenge Castillo. Eventually won the WBC lightweight belt from Diego Corrales.

6. Julio Diaz, had just won the IBF lightweight title from Javier Jauregui before losing to Castillo. Later, regained the IBF lightweight title from Jesus Chavez.

7. Diego Corrales, had an extremely good run at 130 that got him P4P ranked for a time. Won the WBO lightweight championship from Acelino Freitas in his first fight at lightweight. Beat Castillo in the first fight (although I felt Castillo definately had the momentum in that fight until the KO), but was avenged in the rematch by a 4th round KO. Also held the WBC lightweight championship

I mean, wow. 11 fights at lightweight, and he compiled the names of 7 really good, if not great fighters. The second Corrales fight doesn't count at lightweight, so that is why it's not 12. Including the rematches with Johnston and Mayweather, that means that 9 out of Castillo's 11 fights were against top contenders or former/current/future champions. 9 title runs were represented between the 6 fighters listed above (Lazcano didn't win a title).

Absolutely incredible.

Great post!!

Castillo has alway been one of my favorites, I never understood why he never got at least half of the attention marco and erik got by mexican public

I feel his work at lightweight is sometimes overlooked or underappriciated. He was great at cutting off the ring and working on the inside. There is a skill and technique in his craft that sometimes fans like to generalize as just being a brawler with no purpose.

One of my favorite castillo fights is his battle with bazan. It got ugly real quick with both guys showing veteran technique in the art of illegal blows but ultimately castillo won by tko i think about the fifth or the sixth. Bazan a fighter who was worn down when he faced a young cotto but still manage to make it to the eleven.

castillo a future hall of famer
bump

[Fox McCloud]

Great post!!

Castillo has alway been one of my favorites, I never understood why he never got at least half of the attention marco and erik got by mexican public

I feel his work at lightweight is sometimes overlooked or underappriciated. He was great at cutting off the ring and working on the inside. There is a skill and technique in his craft that sometimes fans like to generalize as just being a brawler with no purpose.

One of my favorite castillo fights is his battle with bazan. It got ugly real quick with both guys showing veteran technique in the art of illegal blows but ultimately castillo won by tko i think about the fifth or the sixth. Bazan a fighter who was worn down when he faced a young cotto but still manage to make it to the eleven.

castillo a future hall of famer
bump

If anyone calls Castillo an unskilled brawler, they need to rewatch his fights.

I would call him a relentless workhorse... One of the truly dedicated body punchers that the sport has seen.

I have no idea why Castillo didn't take off like MAB or EM. My own thought is that EM and MAB made each other so popular by having such great fights between the two of them, and Castillo never had that kind of opportunity until he was at the end of his road against Corrales.

It makes me sad that I wasn't a fan when all of this stuff was current. I started watching about a year and half ago, and... I just feel like this would have been some great stuff to watch this kind of run be put together, month by month.

[El Dominicano]

Mayweather is 39 and 0. When did he lose???

You can't really argue. That fight was a toss up. I had JLC winning the 1st time I saw the fight. The 2nd time I noticed JLC didn't land as much as I thought and gave it to Mayweather. Still there is no fighting it, It could have gone either way and I respect that JLC was a good fighter