Super-bantamweight contender and current WBA mandatory challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev stopped Mexico’s Luis Castillo in the eighth round last night in Guadalajara, this in a final tune-up bout he decided he wanted ahead of his September shot at unified 122 pound ruler Naoya Inoue.
It can as we know be risky taking any fight so close to a big fight, but “MJ” got the job done against Castillo pretty much without issue. Dropping Castillo twice, this in the fifth round and in the sixth round, the southpaw from Uzbekistan got the TKO win in round eight, when referee Luis Jimenez stopped the fight at the 2:05 mark of the round, this after Castillo’s corner threw in the towel.
Akhmadaliev, the former WBA and IBF super-bantamweight champ, is now 14-1(11) and he is confident he will cause the sensation and hand “Monster” Inoue his first loss on September 14, the fight to take place in Osaka, Japan. Castillo, who showed gameness last night, is now 31-7(20).
Akhmadaliev wanted to take last night’s fight so as to stay sharp ahead of the big fight, and he also wanted to get some rounds under his belt. Castillo was outgunned throughout but he was tough enough to stick around, so “MJ” got the rounds he was looking for. The 30 year old former champ started things off quite slowly, before he began landing power shots in the third round. Also, and perhaps somewhat worryingly, Akhmadaliev appeared to hurt his left hand in round three, with him shaking his hand in the fourth.
But Akhmadaliev was soon landing more hurtful punches, and Castillo went down in the fourth, this from a body shot, the knockdown not being called. But Castillo was soon officially knocked down twice, from a body shot in round five and from a stiff left hand to the head in the sixth.
All in all a good tune-up fight and win for Akhmadaliev, apart that is from the possible hand injury. Hopefully, Akhmadaliev will step into the ring with Inoue at 100 percent. Some people do believe Akhmadaliev is the most dangerous foe yet for Inoue, 30-0(27) at the weight.
All Results
- Khalil Coe def. Manuel Gallegos by TKO (R6, 3:00)
- Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela def. Manuel Medina by unanimous decision (98-94, 96-94, 96-94)
- Murodjon Akhmadaliev def. Luis Castillo by TKO (R8, 2:05)
- Adrian Curiel def. Johan Rubio by unanimous decision (99-91, 99-91, 98-92)
