In a shocking turn of events, World Boxing Federation junior welterweight champion and Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation No.2 challenger Dindo Casta?ares suffered a humiliating blow to his resurging boxing career after losing to longtime rival Daigoro Yamamoto by knockout in their third meeting Sunday night, in Osaka, Japan.
The fight ended two seconds before the end of the seventh round as the referee counted Casta?ares out of the fight after he was decked with a right counterpunch that staggered the Cebuano fighter as he tried to beat the count.
Best fight
However, Casta?ares did not allow the Japanese to dominate the fight as he also floored his taller and bigger opponent in the third with a right hook.
Despite the abrupt end, boxing aficionados enjoyed the encounter. The Japanese Boxing Commission even voted it as fight of the month.
It was a give-and-take fight from the start, which was typical of Casta?ares, who caused Yamamoto’s nose to bleed. Yamamoto also caused Casta?ares mouth to bleed starting in the third round.
As both fighters swapped blows from the fourth to the sixth, Casta?ares forgot about his defense in the seventh that caused his early defeat, which finally broke a standoff after the two fighters drew their two previous fights.
The win improved Yamamoto’s win-loss-draw record to 10-2-3 with eight KOs, while Casta?ares dropped to 17-4-2 with 13 KOs.
Yamamoto is now eyeing for an OPBF title shot against Korean Jungbum Kim.
