The rivalry between Ruben Olivares and Jesus Castillo—some of the revered in Mexican boxing lore—came about in an period when the bantamweight division was dominated by Mexicans, with the great “El Púas” and Chucho being the very best of the bunch. Their first bout, which came about a mere six months earlier than the rematch, noticed Ruben defend his bantamweight crown in an all-action combat towards a decided Castillo who in the long run got here up quick on the scorecards. For that reason, in addition to for the distinction in personalities and the melding of their preventing kinds, their rematch at The Inglewood Discussion board in Los Angeles was extremely anticipated. Fortunately, it didn’t fail to stay as much as followers’ lofty expectations.
“El Púas” Olivares is rightly thought of one of many best bantamweights ever, and in his time was considered the best Mexican fighter to ever lace them up. His nickname interprets as “spikes”, but it surely fails to precisely convey the risk his punches posed to his opponents. Ruben didn’t sting his adversaries together with his photographs, he pounded them; and whereas his proper cross was emphatic, his left hook upstairs was his most precious asset. The vicious energy he possessed allowed him to place collectively two strings of consecutive knockouts–of twenty-two and 21 victories–that rank amongst the longest within the report books.
As a child, Olivares first demonstrated his fistic prowess at college, the place he spent rather more time hitting fellow schoolmates than the books. Younger Ruben induced a lot bother that his elementary college principal supplied him the diploma on a silver plate so long as he promised to steer clear of the premises for the remainder of the college yr. Finally, Olivares discovered the self-discipline and focus he lacked in a boxing gymnasium. Though he posted a strong novice run, what he actually wished was to show professional and get massive fights as quickly as attainable. He garnered business success and in style attraction because of his violent type, outgoing persona, and the thrilling finishes to his fights, with opponents invariably mendacity at his toes and his fists lifted proudly within the air.
The contrasting personalities of Olivares and Castillo have been an enormous a part of their rivalry and its attraction to combat followers. Whereas Ruben loved the highlight—partying with Mexican celebrities and even making cameos in comedy movies—Chucho was soft-spoken and maintained a low profile. Those that knew him agreed that Castillo was an introvert exterior the ring, however Chucho believed that that trait inhibited him from performing to his finest contained in the roped sq.. In reality, to be able to maximize his probabilities towards “El Púas” the second time spherical, he went so far as searching for psychological counsel earlier than the rematch.
However the spirited competitors between Olivares and Castillo actually started with their efforts to dethrone bantamweight champion Lionel Rose. Chucho had his shot on the title-holder earlier than Ruben, however the judges controversially favoured Rose in a detailed combat, thus igniting a riot by the closely pro-Castillo crowd on the Los Angeles Discussion board the place that contest came about. Eight months later, Olivares obtained his likelihood to win the belt from Rose on the similar venue. Minutes earlier than the ring walks that night time, the director of the venue paid Ruben a go to within the dressing room, confessing that he feared a second riot if the Mexican didn’t emerge the victor. Olivares assured that wouldn’t occur, and soundly delivered on his promise by knocking out Rose within the fifth spherical.
A rematch between Olivares and Castillo after their dramatic first combat was properly justified by their storylines as properly. “El Púas” was nonetheless undefeated and on a critical tear, beating everybody he confronted by flattening them together with his fearsome energy. For his half, Chucho had beforehand participated in three rematches in his profession, seeking to avenge previous losses; he gained all three because of gritty dedication and fistic energy. If there was anybody alive who might problem “El Púas” inside a hoop, that was absolutely Castillo.
The early rounds of Olivares vs Castillo II have been subdued, with each fighters looking for out if something had modified since their earlier encounter. However as early as the primary spherical, a head butt opened a gash above Ruben’s left eye, releasing blood freely, which poured down his face. The tempo picked up significantly in spherical three whereas each guys scored with their trademark photographs: Ruben utilizing the left hook and Castillo touchdown proper fingers upstairs. By spherical 5, nevertheless, the motion reached a better plateau, as each fighters traded punches freely and saved closing the gap. In a couple of minutes, what had begun as a energetic dialogue at a distance turned a shouting match inside a telephone sales space.
It turned evident that the minimize was bothering Olivares, even when solely at a psychological degree. His nook did an ideal job of containing the bleeding by means of the center rounds because the crossfire intensified, however Ruben’s punches have been clearly the much less highly effective ones. Castillo saved coming, launching mixtures at “El Púas”, and scoring as properly with the left fist as with the fitting. Chucho’s assault was extra assertive, even when he was not dominating outright; the bout remained shut all through its entirety, with momentum shifting typically throughout the similar spherical.
Within the ninth Olivares made an enormous stand, pushing ahead with dedication and backing Castillo to the ropes. As Ruben unleashed mixtures relentlessly, Chucho fought again, matching the champion punch for punch. And because the ecstatic viewers celebrated the extreme motion, the 2 Mexican warriors pummeled one another ferociously in what had escalated to a textbook warfare of attrition.
As the competition moved to the championship rounds, the tempo remained neck-breaking. Violent in-fighting turned the norm, with exchanges to physique and head, as Ruben protected as finest he might his minimize eye together with his left glove, and with Castillo intent on breaking down Olivares and eventually snatching the coveted title.
In the long run, neither fighter yielded nor backed up; it was the referee who stepped in to place an finish to the hostilities on the finish of spherical fourteen, when Olivares’s blood was once more flowing liberally from the minimize above his eye. The stoppage meant Castillo had avenged yet another of his losses, and that Olivares had misplaced knowledgeable combat for the primary time in his profession. Extra importantly, it meant that the world had a brand new bantamweight champion: Jesus “Chucho” Castillo. –Rafael García
