Murodjon Akhmadaliev successfully navigated the final challenge standing between him and a significant September clash with Naoya Inoue, stopping Luis Castillo in the eighth round. Fighting in Guadalajara, ‘MJ’ began the bout with a cautious approach, seemingly aware of the major opportunity on the horizon.
Once he settled into his rhythm and found his range, the fight turned into a dominant performance. The 30-year-old champion dropped Castillo twice on his way to securing the early finish, which was recorded at 2:05 of the eighth round as ‘La Sombra’ absorbed significant punishment.
The former unified super bantamweight king wasted little time in the opening round, landing his first effective right hook within barely a minute, prompting Castillo to step back momentarily. The Mexican fighter showed resilience in the second round, landing shots to both the head and body in an improved showing.
Castillo, an inspirational deaf boxer, communicated with his corner through informal sign language and managed to find some limited success. However, Akhmadaliev’s powerful punches began to dictate the narrative in the third round when the world-class fighter started effectively using his left hand.
MJ’s accuracy proved to be a key factor throughout the contest. Any speculation about a potential hand injury seemed to dissipate as the Uzbek landed a heavy shot to the body with his left hand towards the end of the fifth round. Castillo was counted but bravely rose to his feet, clearly struggling to recover between rounds.
Castillo adopted a more defensive strategy in the sixth round. Despite this, a looping left hand from Akhmadaliev sent him back to the canvas for the second knockdown. Akhmadaliev intensified his assault in the eighth round, bloodying Castillo’s nose and ultimately forcing the corner of the outmatched Mexican to throw in the towel to protect their fighter.
This represented a controlled and patient victory for Murodjon Akhmadaliev, who improved his professional record to 14-1 with 11 knockouts. The win successfully sets the stage for his highly anticipated showdown against ‘The Monster’ later in the year. Luis Castillo’s record now stands at 31-7 with 20 knockouts; he suffered the defeat bravely and without disgrace.
