In upsetting news, it has been reported that Argentine ring warrior Jorge Castro has died at the age of 59.
Castro, a former WBA middleweight champion who engaged in a quite amazing 144 fights during a pro career that ran from February of 1987 to January of 2007, collapsed at a bingo hall in Argentina on Wednesday. Reports say Castro, a diabetic, suffered a drop in insulin levels and was attended to by paramedics but sadly died at the scene.
Castro’s daughter was with him at the time, and she says her father passed away whilst being administered CPR. Our thoughts go out to Jorge’s family and friends at this time.
Castro, way behind on all cards in the fight that saw him defending his WBA middleweight title, took considerable punishment, with both of his eyes swollen, and he looked like a certain loser. But, in the fight that won Ring Magazine’s Fight of the Year for 1994, Castro sensationally turned things around with a huge left hook in the ninth round, the blow sending a stunned Jackson down. Two additional knockdowns later Castro had scored an amazing comeback victory.
Castro, who defeated the accomplished Reggie Johnson to win the WBA title, made four successful defences, including a repeat decision win over Johnson, but it was the big win over Jackson that proved to be his highlight at world title level.
The Argentinian lost the belt to Shinji Takehara, this by decision in December of 1995. He was far from finished, however. Possessing one of the sport’s most durable chins, with Castro being stopped just twice during his 20-year pro career, the warrior known as “Locomotor” would eventually fight up at cruiserweight.
Castro unsuccessfully challenged two world cruiserweight champions, this in 2000, when he faced Juan Carlos Gomez, who stopped him in the tenth round to retain the WBC title, and in 2002, when Vassiliy Jirov decisioned Castro to retain his IBF title. Castro also fought two memorable battles with the legendary Roberto Duran, the two going 1-1 in 1997.
A thrill to watch when at his best, Castro was a genuine hero in his homeland, a country that has produced so many hardened ring greats. He exited the ring off the back of a win, this when he stopped Jose Luis Herrera in January of 2007. After hanging up the gloves, he gave back, this by running soup kitchens as well as boxing gyms.
Castro’s final ring record reads a hugely impressive 130 wins, 11 defeats and three draws, with 90 knockouts.
