WBC president sends message in remembrance of four-time title challenger.
Sometimes, there are fighters who would have been champion in any era but the one they fought in. Fighters who were very talented and maybe even exceptionally gifted, but who just so happened to be active at the same time as luminaries of the sport.
Maybe, for one reason or another, these fighters never even got a title shot. Maybe they beat many who did hold titles, but could never quite lift one themselves.
But for whatever reason, these fighters weren’t able to have a strap to call their own. They were near-misses, almost-got-’ems, or, as Jerry Quarry put it, “A bridesmaid, but never a bride.”
Lubbock, Texas’s Ruben Castillo was one of these fighters. A tremendous talent, he was unfortunate enough to fight in a time of giants.
The “Conquistador” journeyed across three divisions, and in that time, he challenged for world titles on four occasions.
The fighters he fought for those titles were not mere strapholders, nor were they simply champions.
No, they were immortals.
Castillo’s first title challenge would be for the WBC super-featherweight title against Nicaragua’s golden son, Alexis Arguello.
Castillo stopped in the 11th, but after knocking out the 11-10-2 Edwin Alarcon in his very next fight, he would be rewarded with a shot at the WBC featherweight title.
Who would he have to beat to get it? Salvador Sanchez.
Though Castillo led after the first six frames, he ultimately lost over 15 rounds to the immovable Mexican. Two years later, Castillo would challenge for the WBC 126-pound title again, being beaten by Puerto Rico’s Juan Laporte in a 12-round decision.
It was another three years before Castillo would fight for a title again, this being for the WBC title at super-featherweight once more.
The man who held it was none other than Julio César Chávez.
Chávez was 45-0 at the time, making the first title defence of his long career, and beat Castillo by 6th-round TKO.
That was the end of Castillo’s title dream.
Throughout his career, Castillo would notch wins over many decent fighters. These included Antonio Becerra, the only man in history to beat Salvador Sanchez.
Castillo would retire after 81 professional fights, amassing a record of 67-10-2 with 35 KOs. Following his boxing career, he would work as a broadcaster for ASPN and an actor, appearing in 1988’s Fists of Steel.
Ruben Castillo passed away earlier today at the age of 68. His cause of death is currently unknown.
Mauricio Sulaiman, president of the WBC, posted a heartfelt message to his personal social media in dedication to the man who battled for his organisation’s championships four separate times.
We send our condolences to Ruben Castillo’s friends and family during this very difficult period.
#WBCWALK remembering Ruben Castillo RIP my dear champ #QueRicoCaminarporlamañana pic.twitter.com/4IZdwRfSnA
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) February 25, 2026
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