By Mark Vester
In yet another upset for 2006, WBA super flyweight champion Martin Castillo (30-2, 16KOs) is stopped in ten rounds by Nobuo Nashiro (8-0, 5KOs), who was taking on the champ in only his 8th professional bout, and his first fight of 2006. Apparently, Castillo suffered a bad cut somewhere in the first quarter of the fight, and the cut came from as a result of a punch.
As the fight went on, both men had their moments and the bout was very close on the cards. The problem for Castillo is that his cut became worse with each passing round, which eventually led to the fight being stopped in the tenth and final round.
The Japanese crowd in Higashiosaka, Japan went wild for their countryman, who will now be regarded as a national hero.
Castillo was beginning to gain steam as one of the best fighters below 130 pounds. The loss to Nashiro has certainly put proposed mega-fights with Jorge Arce and Fernando Montiel on hold.
