1976 Miguel Angel Castellini vs José Manuel Durán - Boxing WBA World Light Middleweight title

Miguel Angel Castellini (born January 26, 1947) is an Argentine former professional boxer. Castellini, who was active as a professional from 1965 to 1980, is most notable for having held the WBA World Light Middleweight title.

Castellini began his professional career on May 28, 1965 in San Miguel de Tucumán against Domingo Gerez. Castellini scored a second round knock out over Gerez to record his first win. He remained undefeated over his first thirteen fights before suffering his first loss to Hermogenes Quintela. Quintela knocked Castellini out in the tenth round of their fight on September 9, 1966.

On November 4, 1972 Castellini won his first championship by beating Hector Ricardo Palleres to claim the Argentina Light Middleweight title. Castellini fought for the first time outside of his native Argentina on 25 May 1974, he travelled to Monaco to beat Carlos Alberto Salinas. During his career Castellini also fought in Italy, Puerto Rico, Denmark, Nicaragua and Spain.[1]

It was while in Spain that Castellini challenged for the WBA World Light Middleweight title, then held by Jose Manuel Duran, in front of a sell out crowd of 12,000. Duran, who was making the first defence of his title, was knocked down in the third round by a left hand to the jaw. Although the champion rose from the canvas, he was outworked by the faster challenger and lost his title via a split decision in a fight where both boxers finished with bloody faces.[2]

Castellini's championship reign only lasted one fight as he lost it in his first defence to Eddie Gazo on March 5, 1977. Gazo, fighting in his hometown of Managua, Nicaragua, defeated Castellini via unanimous decision with scores of: 144-149, 144-148 and 143-148. This defeat was avenged, however, in a non-title bout on September 20, 1980. On this occasion Gazo travelled to Argentina to take on Castellini. Castellini won the fight by knockout in the ninth round in what was to be his final professional fight

свернуть