Montiel scores TKO of Castillo in undercard fight

By JOHN BASSETTI

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

Before Pavlik-Taylor, Fernando Montiel scored a fourth-round TKO of Martin Castillo to retain his WBO super-flyweight crown.

Montiel, of Los Mochis, Mexico, gave the fighter from Mexico City one final left uppercut to the abdomen to crumple Castillo, who lost for only the third time in 36 pro fights. Montiel, clad in green-and-red trunks, is 36-2-1.

For the WBC super-flyweight championship, Mexico’s Cristian Mijares (34-3-2) retained his belt by a 12-round split-decision over Jose Navarro.

Both were bloodied battlers who laced each other to the end before Mijares got the nod. Navarro of Los Angeles, dropped to 26-4.

Ron “The Chosen One” Hearns remained unbeaten at 18-0 after his eighth-round TKO of Juan Astorga.

A good right hand sent the Kansan (11-2-1) stumbling across the ring before Hearns followed him and put an end to the super welterweight bout by landing another right, which sent Astorga down on one knee.

In the opening undercard bout which was not televised via HBO, flyweight Brian Viloria of Hawaii (21-2-1) scored an eighth-round decision over Cesar Lopez (20-6) of El Paso.

bassetti@vindy.com