Fresno’s Marc Castro turns in stylish COVID-delayed pro boxing debut
Fresno boxer Marc Castro made his pro debut Saturday night and won by knockout over Luis Javier Valdes on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez and Callum Smith matchup in San Antonio.
The 21-year-old Castro stopped Valdes in the third round of a junior lightweight fight, drawing strong reaction from boxing fans throughout as well as post-fight after the bout at the Alamodome.
“I’m happy with my performance,” Castro told DAZN. “He is really talented. I kind of wanted to sit down on more punches and you kind of have to pick your poison. When you want to throw solid, fast, and move around, you just have to adjust accordingly every time.
“But there’s a lot to improve and I’m excited to get back in the gym and start working.”
Castro started out fast, with plenty of first-round punches. In round 2, Castro slowed down under advisement from his corner.
“That first round, there’s nothing like it,” he said. “There’s nothing like the start of your pro career and doing it on such a big stage, I know whatever stage I’m on, the gym’s empty, or the gym’s full, I’ve got to perform.”
Castro finally got into the ring after his originally scheduled pro debut in August was canceled because he tested positive for the coronavirus. Valdes, after his 14th fight, is 7-6-1 with one KO.
Alvarez and Smith were scheduled to square off in the featured bout on pay per view sometime after 8 p.m.
Who is Marc Castro?
Castro started boxing when he was 8 years old.
In the amateur ranks, Castro went 177-7 and won 17 national championships and two world titles.
In national and international bouts, he went 48-2.
Castro’s family has supported his boxing dreams from their earliest point. His father, Tony, is his coach.
Earlier this year, Castro signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing after a strong amateur career.
Castro graduated from Sunnyside High in 2017 and was a class valedictorian with a 4.02 GPA.
What is next for Castro?
As 2020 comes to a close, Castro is already thinking about 2021.
He wants to be very active in the ring next year, hoping he’ll get lined up for plenty of fights.
“Whatever, six, seven fights for the year,” he said. “Start off with a tough opponent (who has ) never been stopped, never been dropped, and I go out there and perform.”
This story was originally published December 19, 2020 at 8:30 PM.
