April 22, 2004
NAGOYA, JAPAN-Matsuda Promotions has announced that WBA top contender Martin Castillo (25-1, 15 KOs), a US-based Mexican, will replace WBA 115-pound champ Alexander Munoz, Venezuela, to fight Japanese lefty Hideyasu Ishihara (15-2-1, 11 KOs) for the interim WBA belt in Gifu, Japan, on May 16. Munoz reportedly suffered such a serious injury that he will not be able to come and defend his title against Ishihara here in Japan, as scheduled. The perennial top contender Castillo finally accepted to face the lanky southpaw in a quest for the interim belt, and looks forward to meeting the Venezuelan champ upon his recovery for the WBA’s unified belt if he defeats Ishihara, who is now training in Cebu, Philippines, for two weeks.
(4-22-04)