Name: Ricardo Castillo Career Record: click Nationality: Mexico Alias: Piolo Residence: Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico Birth Place: Empalme, Mexico Born: 1979-06-07 Height: 5' 6" Reach: 69"

Professional Career

RICARDO “Piolo” CASTILLO (38-7, 25 KOs)…
World championship fights: 0-2...
Former two-time jr. featherweight world title challenger...
Ranked WBC #8 at 126 pounds...
Mexican featherweight champion...
Former NABF featherweight champion...
Former WBC Latino super bantamweight champion…
Former Mexican super bantamweight champion, five successful defenses…

At the age of 30, Ricardo is a 12-year pro. A veteran contender at 126 pounds, he won the Mexican featherweight title in his last fight in July, 2009 – the fight was co-featured with Cristobal Cruz’ successful IBF featherweight world title defense against Jorge Solis in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico.

Ricardo is also a former Mexican super bantamweight champion – he won that title in April, 2004, and made five successful title defenses.

He has now won three fights in a row since his last loss in October, 2008.

This rematch with Cristobal Cruz is unusual because Ricardo and Cruz are stablemates – both are managed and trained by Pedro Moran.

Pedro said, “I started working with Ricardo a few months ago, in June, 2009. He told me, ‘I want this fight. It’s my opportunity.’

“I’m going to be working the corner of Cruz for the fight and Ricardo have a trainer from Mexico City in his corner. His name is Lorenzo Lopez.”

Cruz won an eight round decision against Ricardo in January, 2003.

Ricardo said, “I remember the fight with Cruz. It was a hard fight for both of us. I don’t make any excuses – I lost the decision. But the rematch will be different. I will have better preparation this time. I will be in the best shape of my life and I will win the world title.”

He is the younger brother, by five years, of former two-time WBC lightweight world champion Jose Luis Castillo.

Regarding his nickname, Ricardo said, “When I was born, I only had two or three hairs on my head, like Piolin, and they started calling me that.” [note: “Piolin” is the Spanish name for the cartoon character, “Tweety Bird.” Tweety Bird has three hairs on his head.]

Key Fights – 2009 – WON VACANT MEXICAN F TITLE - in his last fight on 7-11-09 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, MX, he won a 10 round unanimous decision against Antonio Torres (1-12-1): the fight was on the undercard of the Cristobal Cruz-Jorge Solis main event, and Ricardo dominated...
On 4-4-09 in Austin, TX, he won an 8 round unanimous decision against Andres Ledesma (15-12-1): the fight was on the undercard of the Edwin Valero-Antonio Pitalua main event; Ledesma scored a knockdown with a left hook in the 1st round, but Ricardo recovered and pressed forward after that; the middle rounds were close, but Ricardo rallied in the late rounds and won by scores of 78-73, 76-75, 76-75...

WON VACANT NABF F TITLE – on 1-31-09 in Mexicali, MX, he TKO’d Abraham Rodriguez (14-5-2): Rodriguez did not continue after the 9th round; the Texas records is as a TKO at 0:10 of the 10th round...

2008 – on 10-4-08 in Hermosillo, MX, he lost a 12 round unanimous decision against Cristian Lopez (13-0): scored 116-112 on all three scorecards...

On 7-12-08 in Hermosillo he TKO’d Guadalupe Arce (2-35): in the 2nd round...

MEXICAN SB TITLE CHALLENGE – on 5-2-08 in Mexicali he was TKO’d against Geovanny Caro (9-5-4): in the 11th round...

IBF JF WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE – on 1-19-08 in Rama, ONT, he lost a 12 round unanimous decision against lefthanded defending champion Stephen Molitor (25-0): the fight headlined at Casino Rama; Ricardo pressed forward and gave a good effort, and rocked Molitor with two hard right hands in the 4th round; Molitor was also cut over his left eye in the round – the referee ruled it was from a punch, but video replays showed that there had been a clash of heads; Molitor dominated the rest of the fight - he kept Ricardo off-balance with movement, consistently outboxed him and landed the sharper punches; Molitor was cut in a second place over his left eye in the late rounds, and Ricardo was penalized one point for low blows in the 10th; scored 118-109 on all three scorecards...

On 10-19-07 in Cabazon, CA, he won a 10 round unanimous decision against Andres Ledesma (14-5-1): the fight headined at the Cabazon Casino, and it was a fast-paced, exciting battle; Ricardo consistently pressed forward and outworked Ledesma in seveal rounds, but Ledesma scored a knockdown in the last seconds of the 12th scored 97-92, 95-94, 95-94...
On 5-19-07 in Nogales, MX, he TKO’d Eduardo Urrea (2-5-1): in the 1st round...

WBA SB WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE – on 3-16-07 in Hollywood, FL, he lost by disqualification against defending champion Celestino Caballero (25-2): Ricardo outworked Caballero and swept the 1st round on all three scorecards, but Caballero shut him out on the scorecards after that; Ricardo was penalized one point for low blows in the 3rd round; Caballero rallied in the middle rounds and rocked Ricardo with a right hand in the 9th – Ricardo clinched, threw Caballero to the canvas, then turned away, and his brother-cornerman Jose Luis Castillo entered the ring to stop the fight at 2:02; after nine rounds, Celestino led by scores of 79-72 on all three scorecards...

2006 – on 12-1-06 in Cicero, IL, he lost a 12 round split decision against Takalani Ndlovu (26-3): it was fast-paced, gruelling battle; the early rounds were close; Ricardo floored Ndlovu with a right hand in the 3rd round, but it was ruled a slip; after six rounds, the fight was scored 58-56, 58-56 Ndlovu, 59-55 Castillo; Ndlovu finished the fight strongly – he won the 9th and 10th rounds on two scorecards, then staggered Ricardo with a right hand in the 11th round and swept the round on all three scorecards; both fought hard until the final bell, but Ndlovu swept that round, as well, and won by scores of 116-112, 116-112 Ndlovu, 115-113 Castillo...
On 8-5-06 in Mexicali he TKO’d Jesus Garcia (9-6-2): at 1:55 of the 5th round...

On 5-6-06 in Coachella, CA, he knocked out David Vazquez in the 5th round...

5TH MEXICAN SB TITLE DEFENSE – on 3-4-06 in Mexicali he won a 12 round unanimous decision against Adolfo Landeros (18-6-1): scored 119-107, 119-107, 115-110...

On 2-4-06 in El Paso, TX, he TKO’d Samuel Ventura (22-15): the fight was on the undercard of the Jose Luis Castillo-Rolando Reyes main event; Ricardo scored a knockdown with a body punch in the 3rd round, and Ventura was counted out at 0:56...

2005 – on 12-3-05 in Chicago, IL, he won a 10 round unanimous decision against Hugo Vargas (13-8-1): the bout headlined at the Aragon Ballroom, and it was a good, close fight; Ricardo pressed forward, but Vargas scored a knockdown with a right uppercut in the 2nd round; Ricardo kept pressing forward and gradually wore down Vargas; both fought hard until the final bell and had the fans on their feet; scored 97-93, 97-93, 96-94...

On 10-7-05 in Las Vegas, NV, he TKO’d Phillip Payne (16-15-1): at 2:10 of the 5th round...

4TH MEXICAN SB TITLE DEFENSE – on 7-22-05 in Phoenix, AZ, he won by disqualification against Edel Ruiz (27-13-3): at 1:55 of the 8th round...

3RD MEXICAN SB TITLE DEFENSE, WON WBC LATINO SB TITLE - on 6-24-05 in Mexicali, MX, he TKO’d previously undefeated Antonio Meza (17-0): at 1:18 of the 2nd round…

2ND MEXICAN SB TITLE DEFENSE - on 4-1-05 in Mexicali he TKO’d Hector Santana (10-15): at 1:51 of the 5th round…

2004 – on 12-25-04 in Mexicali he won a 10 round unanimous decision against Adolfo Landeros (15-4-1)...

1ST MEXICAN SB TITLE DEFENSE - on 7-6-04 in Mexicali he TKO’d Roman Campos in the 7th round…

WON MEXICAN SB TITLE - on 4-24-04 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, MX, he won a 12 round majority decision against former Mexican super bantamweight champion Ruben Estanislao (15-6-2): scored 117-112, 115-113, 118-118…
WON PACIFIC COAST F TITLE - on 1-1-04 in Mexicali he won a 12 round decision in the rematch against Juan Mendez (9-7-2)…

2003 - on 10-24-03 in Empalme, MX, he won a 10 round decision against Juan Mendez (9-8-2)...

On 5-31-03 in Mexicali he won a 10 round decision against Jorge Munoz (23-23-2)…

On 3-21-03 in Mexicali he knocked out Paulino Gonzalez (2-13): in the 2nd round…

On 1-1-03 in Mexicali he lost an 8 round unanimous decision against Cristobal Cruz (22-3-1)…

He debuted at the age of 17 on 5-17-97…

PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Ricardo was born in Empalme, Sonora, Mexico, and grew up in a family with four brothers and four sisters...he is the younger brother, by five years, of former two-time WBC lightweight world champion Jose Luis Castillo...Ricardo and Jose are the only two of the brothers who box...
   
Their father, also named Jose Luis, was also a professional fighter in Mexico, but always kept his job on the railroad; Ricardo said though an interpreter, “He fought Jose Luis Ramirez for the national championship of Mexico, but lost a decision. He also fought Gato Gonzalez.” [note: Sept. 28, 1979 - Jose Luis Ramirez W12 Jose Luis Castillo Sr. for Mexican lightweight title; Ramirez went on to become a two-time WBC lightweight world champion]...
   
Ricardo said he started boxing at the age of 16 and had only seven amateur fights; he made his pro debut at 17...
   
He is married...he and his wife have a seven year-old son, and are expecting another son in September...

STRENGTHS: Has an aggressive style and good offensive skills…had good punching power…tough, durable, and determined...is experienced against top opposition...

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 45 fights...269 total rounds...21 world championship rounds...

AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 5.9 rounds...

KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 65 %...

DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds - 6 (3-3)...11 rounds – 1 (0-1)...10 rounds - 7 (7-0)...