July 21, 2006
OSAKA, JAPAN
Slick-punching Mexican Martin Castillo (30-1, 16 KOs) will put his WBA 115-pound belt on the line against top contender Nobuo Nashiro (7-0, 4 KOs) in Higashi Osaka, Japan, tomorrow (Saturday). At the weigh-in ceremony Castillo and Nashiro each tipped the beam at the 115-pound class limit today.
The WBA officials are as follows: referee Guillermo Perez Pineda (Panama); judges Guy Jutras (Canada), Derek Milham (Australia) and Erkki Meronen (Finland); and supervisor Robert Mack (US).
Nashiro, ex-amateur campaigner, lately defeated three world contenders in a row, beating Hidenobu Honda, Seiji Tanaka (who pitifully passed away afterwards) and Prosper Matsuura. Castillo, making his fifth defense, is a very crafty boxer-puncher who beautifully slips his opponentfs punches and shows very well-timed counters, having defeated Alexander Munoz (twice), Eric Morel and Hideyasu Ishihara (twice including an eleventh round stoppage in a WBA interim elimination bout in 2004). Nashiro will have a puncherfs chance, but Castillo is a prohibitive favorite due to his superior experience, speed and skills.
The WBA mandatory title bout will take place at the Higashi Osaka Arena, starting at 2:45 pm, being presented by Mutoh Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions.
(7-21-06)