Javier Castillejo
Javier Castillejo ( born March 22, 1968 in Parla, Spain as Francisco Javier Castillejo Rodríguez ) is a former, Spanish professional boxer, former two -time European champion in the light middleweight division, two-time WBC world champion in the light middleweight and WBA world champion at middleweight.
Professional career
Castillejo 1988 professional welterweight and lost already in his eighth fight in 1989 against the more experienced British Del Bryan (24 battles ) on points. He won the 1990 Spanish championship, but no one defeated by rank and name before he became a class.
In 1993, he lost to Argentine southpaw Julio César Vásquez in the fight for the WBA light middleweight title on points.
In 1994, he finally achieved his first major international title. Through a premature victory in the sixth round of the French Bernard Razzano is Castillejo secured the championship. Razzano had won the title previously by a sensational knockout victory against his compatriot Laurent Boudouani indisposed.
Castillejo defended the European title in the sequence four times before it came to an encounter with that Boudouani 1995. Against Castillejo but Boudouani 1995 was again in top form and took the title by one- Combat Course by KO back. In the rematch Boudouani won every single round and won on points.
The fights against Boudouani and Vásquez established a pattern that later should always repeat also: against the world class he had apparently not enough talent to prevail. On the other hand, he struck again and again opponents of the so-called " second row " pretty sure won the 1998 against the Russians Ahmet Dottuev the European title back and was number 1 in the WBC rankings.
In 1999 he again benefited from being a title holder had sensationally lost; Keith Mullings had 1997 Terry Norris KO beat and win the WBC title. That still did not Mullings for big names in the U.S. and the Spaniards were able to win the auction of the fight. Castillejo suggested Mullings on 29 January 1999 in Spain just after points and was thus not only the WBC title holder but also linear world champion in the light middleweight division.
But there were his shortcomings known and the five opponents against whom he successfully defended the title, as weak were, struck the ascending in this class Oscar de la Hoya, particularly in the Latino press America's great derision against when he challenged the Spaniards, because Castillejo enjoyed no great respect. The fight was as widely expected, De La Hoya won eleven out of twelve rounds and beat Castillejo at the end even to the ground, but could not defeat him prematurely.
2002 Castillejo scored a remarkable victory on points over the undefeated Russians and later IBF world champion Roman Karmazin, yet it seemed as if he could end his career. In 2005 he was defeated at the age of 37 years in a second U.S. appearance as the on the descending branch located in force Americans Fernando Vargas, back up on points.
On 15 July 2006 he received against Felix Sturm in a middleweight title shot. The fight was generally regarded as a supposedly slight voluntary first title defense for assault against a in the tooths former Halbmittelgewichtler. Accordingly, Castillejo was as 10 to 1 outsider at the bookies in the fight.
But Sturm wanted, after he was booed in his last fight for his negative warfare by the audience, demonstrate combative qualities and was several times on Schlagabtäusche in the half-distance. So he went for the first time in his pro career in the second round to the ground and was taken to several serious impact hits in the tenth round of the fight. Castillejo won thus completely surprising the "regular" WBA title. " Real World Champion " of the WBA Association and generally the middleweight class was at this time, however, continue to Jermain Taylor.
Castillejo lost his first title defense on December 2, 2006 by TKO in the eleventh round against the Argentinian Mariano Carrera. However, this was tested in the doping test positive for the substance clenbuterol, so that the WBA Castillejo re-elected in February 2007 on the title-holders. The fight against Carrera was not considered, but the duel was regarded as a successful legal defense for Castillejo. Since, in the meantime, Jermain Taylor of the Super Champion title was stripped, he went up for the sole WBA champion.
On 28 April 2007, the rematch against Felix Sturm took place in Oberhausen. Storm struck Castillejo this time relatively scarce on points and won back the belt. Nevertheless Castilljo remained high places in the world rankings, and was nominated directly for an eliminator for the right to challenge for the WBA title. As opponents of the Argentine Carrera was determined, who was considered a favorite because the course of the first clash. Castilljo however prevailed surprisingly clear for many by knockout in the sixth round.
He then punched on 12 April 2008 against the European champion Sebastian Sylvester and was defeated in the twelfth round by KO.