Two former champions, who probably should be retired by now, were involved in the main fights of this past weekend.
Two time WBC lightweight champion, 39-year-old Jose Luis Castillo took on 26-year-old Antwone Smith at middleweight. Smith had been a welterweight or higher since his debut in March 2006 whereas Castillo had fought his debut as a featherweight back in May 1990. For this fight, Castillo weighed the heaviest of his career at 151.75 lbs and his body showed it.
Spinks: Time for the former welterweight king to step down?
Even though Castillo has won his last two fights he hasn't been the same fighter he was over the past six or so years. Out of his 11 losses in 76 fights, seven were to world champions. In stark contrast, Smith had four losses from 27 fights. It was pretty clear that Castillo had been brought in to lose.
Smith dictated the pace of the fight landing the better shots against a faded champion. Castillo was trying his best but he wasn't able to land anything of significance. He was in the fight until the end but it was Smith who got the win by unanimous decision on scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-98.
Smith dictated the pace of the fight against Castillo, landing the better shots against a faded champion.
Wayne McCullough
Quotes of the week
Hopefully Castillo has had his last ring visit because he has done enough in the sport of boxing.
Spinks to retire?
Cory Spinks was once the welterweight king when he held three of the four major belts, the WBC, WBA and IBF. He lost those belts in a rematch with Zab Judah in February 2005 but went on to move up in weight and win the IBF light middleweight title. He then moved up to middleweight and lost a title challenge to Jermain Taylor. He moved back down and lost his IBF belt to Verno Phillips and has had two more unsuccessful attempts at titles.
Coming off a stoppage loss to Cornelius Bundrage, Spinks faced Carlos Molina this weekend which was an eliminator for the IBF number two spot at light middleweight.
Mexican born Molina, who fought out of Chicago, had five losses from 27 fights but had never fought for a world title. He quickly figured out his opponent's awkward style as he started to land rights and lefts off the head of Spinks from the first round.
Spinks was trying to move around and land right jabs but he couldn't do much as Molina kept the pressure on throughout the 12 rounds.
Spinks lost a point in the ninth for holding, got dropped in the 11th by a left hook to the head and was given a standing count in the 12th - for no reason. Molina easily won the fight on scores of 119-106 twice and 120-105. According to his wife, Spinks has now retired from boxing.
Molina is a good fighter, not a great one, but now moves into the number two spot in his division.
Post to your View!
Be the first to post a comment on this story
Recent Comments:
Michael Williams on Arlington anticlimax
""Manny Pacquiao was honoured as the fighter of the decade by the Boxing Writer's Association of America today, along with matching Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield by winning his ... " View all comments