Former two-division world champion Luis “Pantera” Nery dropped Carlos Castro in the first round on his way to a 10-round split decision win in a tactical battle between super bantamweights.
The action heated up in the first when southpaw Nery connected with a straight left that deposited Castro on the seat of his trunks. The Phoenix, Arizona native managed to rise and survive the frame.
The bout turned into a chess match in the middle rounds as both Castro (27-1, 12 KOs) and Mexico’s Nery (32-1, 24 KOs) had their moments. In the end, Nery’s defense and accuracy proved to be the difference as he won 96-93 and 95-94 on two cards, while a third judge scored it for Castro, 95-94.