Castillejo Stops Carrera

Javier Castillejo (62-7, 42 KOs) stopped Mariano Natalio Carrera (31-5, 22 KOs) in the 6th round tonight at Baden-Wurtemberg, Germany, thus setting up what will be a third fight with World Boxing Association middleweight champion Felix Sturm. Castillejo, now 39 years-old, dropped Carrera, 27, in the 5th and the sixth rounds, prompting referee Steve Smoger to step in and halt the bout in the sixth. Carrera, who previously knocked out Castillejo in the 11th round to take his then WBA middleweight title, only to have the results overturned due to a drug test that came up positive for Carrera.

Castillejo would later lose the WBA title to Felix Sturm by controversial 12-round unanimous decision in Germany. There was no controversy with their first bout, however, as Castillejo made sure the German judges would effect the outcome by stopping Sturm in the 10th round.

Castillejo took the fight to Carrera from the first round, ripping combinations and uppercuts on the inside. Carrera had his moments in the first three rounds, landing effectively from the outside with hooks and right hands. However, Castillejo was much busier, and pretty much kept the fight at close quarters where he ripped brutal head shots and crushing body blows.

In the 5th round, Castillejo knocked Carrera down late, landing a perfect right hand. Then, in the 6th round, Castillejo landed several left hands that dropped Carrera once again. Smoger quickly moved in and counted Carrera out.