By Jack Welsh

CASTILLO KEEPS TITLE, TKO’s DIAZ

Jose Luis Castillo deftly proved his point as arguably the world’s best 135-pounder with unrelenting pressure and punishing power, wearing down Julio Diaz to retain his WBC crown on a 10th round TKO Saturday at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The impressive triumph earned for Castillo, 31, Mexicali, MX., an on-and-off unification showdown with WBO counter-part Diego “Chico” Corrales of Las Vegas, who was guaranteed a shot at the winner May 7 in this same venue after contract disputes twice postponed the original since December.

A crowd of 4,765 saw Castillo, in his second reign as WBC ruler, dominate the willing but outgunned Diaz while winning seven of nine rounds with a quick, varied øffense to the head and body.

Diaz, ,26, Coachella,CA., who gave up an IBF lightweight title for a shot at Castillo, had won seven Vegas efforts since 1999, but had been more of a catcher against the dictating Castillo in the biggest fight of the former’s career.

Referee Richard Steele, handling his 144th world title bout, warned both fighters about head butts in the fourth round, but basically, it was Castillo’s jabs and head-snapping rights that had the challenger’s eyes bleeding and shaky afoot by the middle rounds.

Diaz, stopped for only the second time as a pro, absorbed Castillo’s heaviest combinations but he didn’t touch the canvas until the 10th round.

Diaz dropped the first time from a heavy right hand and struggled to rise. Next was the coup de grace from an uppercut and a left hook that prompted the referee to abbreviate the action at 2:23.

It was an easy night for the ringside judges with Dalby Shirley, Burt Clements and Dick Flaherty all voting 88-83 for the winner.

Castillo, earning $250,000, improved his resume to 52-6-1, 46 KOs, while Diaz’s credentials dipped to 30-3, 22 KOs in making the largest purse of his career at

$400,000.

Castillo had no problem making the division’s 135 pound limit.

“I’ve had my ups and downs with weight, sometimes coming down from 140, but it wasn’t any situation for Diaz. I knew he was fast and quick. Stevie Johnston and Joel Casamayor both had an awkward style. I like a guy who comes to engage but I didn’t have any trouble with Diaz’s power.

My strategy was to keep the pressure on and not let Diaz’s get away.

Castillo wasn’t looking ahead to Corrales, waiting in the wings for the winner and that unification bout.

“I knew before I gave any thought to Diego Corrales in May, I knew I had to beat Julio Diaz and that was the only thing I was thinking about. I think the fans who saw the fight got that impression. Gary Shaw, who promotes Castillo, surfaced as a ringside wag in declaring: “We’ll be back May 7 for Diego Corrales, But our being nice to him, ends right now.”

Diaz’s fight plan to beat Castillo was work from a distance and out box him although he had no qualms about exchanging in the early rounds.

“There are no excuses. Castillo is a great fighter, but I have to admit those early head butts were a problem. There were a lot of punches I couldn’t see coming when my left eye started swelling. I was trying to stay inside the best I could.”

Diaz earned a shot at his first IBF lightweight championship when he knocked out Courtney Burton in 11 rounds in an elimination match Mar.19, 2004 in San Diego, CA.

The crown was on the line May 13, 2004 in the famed Navy city when Diaz registered a 12-round majority decision over veteran Javier Jauregui.

LACY FIRES 22 UNANSWERED SHOTS

Avid boxing buffs anticipating to see Jeff Lacy work 10 or 12 rounds, might be disappointed. When the IBF super middleweight champion answers the bell, brevity is the standard format. It happened again Saturday at Mandalay Bay, but Lacy needed 47 seconds into the seventh round to move to 19-0,15 KOs.

Lacy,167, Tampa, Fla., was making his second defense against Rubin Williams,167, Detroit, Mi., in the first main event scheduled for 12 rounds with Showtime’s cable network televising.

Williams was no stiff with a 26-1, 15 KOs pro log and winner in one bout over Lacy of the three they had as amateurs. For this one. Lacy earned $200,000, Williams got $35,000.

The rivals had a conservative first round but it was Lacy the swarmer in round two with both fists pumping like pistons on target.

The house was amazed as the Motor City import hinted there might be a sponge in his chin the way it kept absorbing Lacy’s knockout shots.

Williams looked like he was oft-times defenseless with spaghetti legs but the surprise of the night came in the fourth round. Though on uncertain pins, Williams countered Lacy’s TNT and did enough to earn the nod from three judges.

Over the next three rounds, the powerful IBF champion whacked the reeling Williams with every punch he ever threw.

In the seventh heat, Lacy pinned his sleeper on the ropes and landed 22 unanswered punches that triggered referee Tony Weeks to stop it at :47 seconds.

Lacy admitted that he isn’t “always looking for early knockouts because we have 12 rounds in all my fights now.

“The longer it goes, the stronger I get and the harder I hit. I was surprised Williams took what he did. I wasn’t in any hurry to score a knockout. There are a lot of people who are expecting a lot out of me. I just want to win and I want to make everybody happy.”

{Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist who is headquartered in Las Vegas and is a regular contributor to Boxing Press, Boxing Insider,Ringsports.com, as well as other American sports publications.)