01.12.06 – By Per Ake Persson: Argentinian Mariano Carrera won the WBA 160 lb title with an eleventh round stoppage of Javier Castillejo after an exellent fight that had it all. There were no knockdowns but Castillejo had two points deductions, in the fourth and tenth, for repeated low blows. Castillejo made a good start but from the third on Carrera moved a lot better and used his longer reach. There were numerous exchanges and both men showed very good upercuts – and good chins..
After eight rounds it appeared the Castillejo would work his way through Carrera, his bodyshots, many were not low, appeared to have taken their toll on the challenger. But in the ninth the Spanish veteran all of a sudden faded and Carrera came on strong. In the eleventh he had Castillejo against the ropes and opened up with everything he had. As the champion was not punching back Panamanian referee Guillermo Perez stopped it at 1.08. As soon as he had done so Castillejo´s trainer, manager and chief cornerman, Ricardo Sanchez Atocha entered the ring and attacked him and tried to strangle him.
Perez took a lot of heat from Team Castillejo after the fight. “It wasn´t just about the stoppage. It was Perez´s handling of the fight as a whole that made me upset. From the first he was on my fighter for claimed low blows and he even encouraged Carrera” said Atocha.
“The problem was I had two opponents, Carrera and this corrupt referee” said Castillejo at the press conference.
“I just want to say I´m not in family with mr Perez” said Carrera.
After ten Carrera was ahead by 95-94 and 95-93 on two cards and trailing 96-93 on the third card.
In the main event middlweight Felix Sturm returned with sixth round stoppage win over brave Australian Gavin Topp. Topp was outboxed but gave his all and his best round in the sixth – but also badly cut over the left eye and ringside dcotor Torsten Dolla adviced referee Joachim Jacobsen to stop it.
Carrera vs Sturm could happen next year and it also seems that Castillejo will continue his career. At times he looked as strong as ever – but his sudden collapse might indicate it´s time to hang´em up.
WIBF feather champ Ina Menzer knocked out American Kasha Chamblin in the eighth with a straight right hand.
Russian cruiser Aleksander Alekseev was very impressive in taking apart Brit Lee Swaby and stopped him in the fifth of a scheduled six-rounder in an all-southpaw clash. Alekseev appears to have everything and dominated the fight. Swaby wasn´t down but was out on his feet when it was stopped.
Middleweight Gennadyi Golovkin also impressed in knocking out Frenchman Sylvain Gomis in the fourth.
In Golovkin and especially Alekseev Spotlight Boxing and Universum have two future champions.