Mexican Naciff Castillo, Real Life Rocky Balboa, in Opening Bout on Berto vs. Ortiz Card
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Los Angeles. CA (April 26th, 2016)– Some fighters toil on for years without a big fight opportunity or a big payday opportunity. Boxing fans, here’s something interesting, a real life Rocky Balboa who has received the golden opportunity of a lifetime. Mexican featherweight Naciff Castillo, 17-6-2 with five knockouts, Cozumel, Mexico, will move up to junior lightweight or lightweight and fight Dardan Zenunaj, 11-1 with nine knockouts, a Kosovo boxer by way of Haitaut, Belgium in a six rounder. Their bout will be the opening bout of an eleven bout card at the StubHub Center in Carson, California on USA Fox and USA Fox Espanol on Saturday April 30, 2016. Welterweights Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz will fight a rematch in the 12 round televised main event.
The dangerous Zenunaj stopped 16-0 Lou DiBella prospect Bryant Cruz in seven rounds this past December 2015 at the Bayou Event Center in Houston, Texas.
A 25 bout veteran, Castillo turned pro in December 2005 with a four round unanimous decision over Cesar Soto in Cancun, Mexico. In May of 2015, in his first bout outside of Mexico, Castillo lost a 12 round decision in Ukhta, Russia, to Andrey Bogdanov for the Vacant World Boxing Union (German Version) Featherweight title.
Mexico has long served as a breeding grounds for some of the best amateur and professional boxers, with extensive resumes and extensive experience. Barring superior records and lucrative contracts with top promoters, many boxers like Castillo toil on in obscurity, winning the minor bouts, but getting denied the decision in the major bouts where the promoter’s fighter is certain to win no matter how well the other fighter does.
Castillo might have a chance. Zenunaj was knocked out in his second pro bout by Andre George Moldoveanu in his hometown on Hainaut in October 2011, which he later avenged.
The challenge for Castillo is going up in weight for this bout, in addition to training time. It should be noted featherweights at 126 pounds normally rehydrate to anywhere from 130 to 135 pounds. Castillo will probably enter the ring at the same weight he normally did at featherweight. The challenge for Castillo is one worthy of Rocky Balboa stepping into the unknown far from home. Let’s root for the kid. One area of question: Castillo is an established 12 round fighter with four bouts experience going the 12 round distance. His corner should have insisted on a 12 round bout, not six. Zenunaj has never been past the ninth. A long fight which drags into rounds 10, 11 and 12 would be in Castillo’s favor.
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