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03/17/2007 Archived Entry: "Caballero Retains Title, Paez, Jr. Gets TKO'ed!"
Caballero Retains Title, Paez, Jr. Gets TKO'ed!
By Laz Izada
Photo by Dalia Duran
Caballero (left) takes it to Castillo
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (INSIDEBOXING.COM, March 16,2007) -- Friday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, inside the Hard Rock Live Arena, Seminole Warriors Boxing Promotions along with Sycuan Ringside Promotions presented Tribal Pride 2. Telefuturo Television was transmitting live throughout the nation presenting it’s always exciting Solo Boxeo Tecate Friday night show.
In the main event Celestino “ Pelechin” Caballero (26-2,19KO’S) from Colon, Panama was taking on Mexicali, Mexico’s Ricardo “ Piolo” Castillo (27-4,17KO’S) ranked #15 WBA. It was Caballero’s first title defense of his WBA Super Bantamweight title. He had impressively won the title last October in Thailand over Thai native Somsak Sithchatchawal (48-2-1). Castillo’s last bout was a close split decision lost in December to Takalani Ndlovu (26-3)in a IBF title elimination bout. Caballero had a 5 inch reach and height advantage over Castillo.
Caballero, 5’11” and nicknamed the towering inferno, did not disappoint he used his height and reach advantage and superior boxing skills to wear down Castillo throughout the bout. Caballero displayed excellent upper cuts and shots to the head and body. Castillo put up a good fight but it was not enough . Castillo was briefly able to cut off the ring the 1st two rounds, but in the 3rd round he was deducted a point for a low blow. After that Castillo was never the same. After the 3rd Caballero kept displaying his powerful and quick upper cuts and body shots and excellent footwork.
In the 9th round Caballero nailed Castillo with a strong uppercut and quick right to Castillo’s head. Castillo felt the pain and frustrated purposely tackled Caballero to the mat. Then as the referee Telis Assimenios was trying to maintain order, Castillo’s brother-trainer Jose Luis Castillo(former champ)threw in the towel, stopping the fight at 2:02 of the 9th round.
Caballero was leading on all three judge’s card’s 79-72,before the fight was stopped.
This bout proves that Caballero is for real he has defeated two tough Mexican super bantamweights in Castillo and Daniel Ponce De Leon (30-1,28KO‘S). After the bout he mentioned that he would like to continue the legacy of other great Panamanian boxers, and feels he could do so now. “That he wants to show the world that there is still great Panamanian boxers out there“. He also said he is ready for anybody and would like a bout with WBO Featherweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez(46-3-1,35KO’S) which is taking on Marco Antonio Barrera(63-4,42KO’S) this Saturday Night on PPV.
On the undercard fans where anticipating South Florida’s 1st appearance of Mexico’s Jorge Paez Jr.(13-1,8KO’S).To everybody’s dissapointment he did not impress he was handed his first defeat by Dominican Ramon Guevara (8-11,6KO’S).Paez Jr.displayed a flaw of throwing his right and lowering his left and vice versa.
To his credit, Guevara pressed on and never backed up while landing and blocking punches. In the 4th and final round, I felt Paez Jr. should have been more aggressive as he was back pedaling and trying to cruise on to a victory, that him and his camp must of felt he had secured. That was not the case as Guevara in the middle of the round put Paez Jr. down to the canvas with a strong left hook to Paez Jr’s head. Paez Jr. tried to continue after the knockdown but referee Frank Gentile had seen enough and stopped the bout at 2:13 of the 4th round.
Look for boxing to return to the Hard Rock Live Arena in Hollywood,Fl on May 11th as Glen Johnson (44-11-2) and Julio Cesar Gonzalez (41-3) will battle each other in an IBF Light Heavyweight Title Eliminator.
