Last noche’s ESPN heavyweight ten rounder with come backing Fres Oquendo and Elieser Castillo went pretty much as expected, with past contender Oquendo outworking a slow moving plodder over ten rounds of sparring.

Prime time Oquendo proved a cut below the upper heavyweight echelon with losing outings when paired with the Byrd, Holyfield, Ruiz, Tua clientele - nothing changes off this comeback performance.

The transplanted Cuban renowned amateur of yesterday entered this one off three straight wins - on paper very nice qualifier, until noticing the scalps were taken from a Lenzie Morgan (14-31), Reynaldo Minus(18-14), Otis Tisdale (25-18).

On that note, it was all Oquendo who prepped his dinner with couple inadvertent meeting of the minds, that saw Castillo cut over right eye, then alongside the injured orbit, before a late round cut outside the left eye - the championship rounds of 8-9-10 saw a stuck in the mud Castillo fading during the run to the wire.

Scoring went Oquendo unanimous to the tune of 99-91, 98-92, 98-93 - my unofficial saw it Oquendo 99-91 in points and 9-1 in rounds.

Oquendo ~( 28-4, 17 KO) - now at age 34 and it shows. Slow in reaction time and clearly on the wrong side of the hill. Hopefully, this return keeps him safely doing business at the small club venues. Not a prayer among the elite.
Castillo ~ (29-6-2, 16KO) - age 36 - should continue with return bouts against Morgan-Minus-Tisdale - anyone better should carry surgeon general warning label.

Referee Frank Santore - standard "obey my commands at all times - this is good, this isn’t" - boring and unneeded dialogue, since already been given at respective fighter dressing rooms.

GEL -

7-20-07