Mexico’s Jose Luis Castillo celebrated an anniversary recently, reflecting back on the night he faced Floyd Mayweather for the first time – on April 20, 2002.
Castillo, who retired in 2014, lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Mayweather – as they battled for the WBC lightweight title.
The outcome was controversial, as there were many observers who felt Castillo had done enough to walk away with the win.
There was enough controversy over the outcome, that a rematch took place in December of the same year – and Mayweather won another twelve round unanimous decision, with very little protest the second time around.
Now 18 years later, Castillo has watched the fight numerous times and still believes he should have been given the win.
“In the eyes of the world, of the fans, I won. Unfortunately in the eyes of the judges, I did not. But I have always said that it’s not an excuse, much less, because boxing is appreciated, but millions of people cannot be wrong; it is easier for three million to be wrong,” Castillo indicated to Ricardo Arvizu.
Despite all that he achieved, Castillo believes that perhaps his career would had gone on a much different course if he would have won that first fight in 2002.
“A defeat is always a defeat, and more so when it’s for the world title, because that is what you always dream of and I do not know what would have changed, whether or not anything would change, because Floyd Mayweather had very good credentials, he was an Olympic boxer, but he was not the monster that he later became based on titles and fights,” Castillo said.
“It is a great satisfaction [to have had that performance], because now I show that fight to my youngest boy, 9 years old, and he is surprised by the same thing, because Floyd Mayweather became a monster later on. I was the lightweight world champion, just as he was gaining weight, he was a super featherweight champion and had defeated ‘Chicanito’ Hernández and had two defenses. He was given the opportunity because he was not the monster that he is now.”