Another Castillo Weigh-In Fiasco

It’s boxing’s equivalent of being left at the altar.

Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley was all by his lonesome at today's official weigh-in for Saturday’s WBC super lightweight title elimination bout that he was SUPPOSED to be engaging in with Jose Luis Castillo.

Bradley (21-0, 11 KOs), from Palm Springs, Calif., weighed in at 139 pounds, one pound under the limit.

Castillo (56-8-1, 48 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, the WBC's No. 2-rated contender, never showed up for the mandatory weigh-in, and thus forced the Cancun bout's cancellation.

Word is, and surely this explanation will be rigorously fact-checked, Castillo was told by a doctor that he should not fight. Two hours before the weigh in, at an unofficial weight check, he tipped the scales at 144.5 lbs.

“Jose Sulaiman, president of the WBC, stated that Bradley would be named the WBC's mandatory super lightweight challenger,” said Alex Camponovo from Thompson Boxing Promotions, who was at the weigh-in, in a release.

“We look forward to meeting with Junior Witter's team at the appropriate time to begin negotiations for the world title fight.”

Lest you forgot, do recall that Castillo has had scale issues before.

Castillo made weight, 135 pounds, and warred, in one of the century's best bouts,  with Diego Corrales on May 7, 2005.

He lost a TKO10, and looked for revenge in a fight scheduled for Oct. 8.

But Castillo, now 34,  couldn’t make 135 for the sequel. He was at 137 at the weigh in, and was given time to sweat it off. After more than an hour, stepped back on the scale…and weighed a pound and a half more! The fight went on, on a non-title basis, and Castillo scored a fourth-round KO.

They were supposed to scrap a third time, on June 3, 2006, but Castillo was at 139 ½ for that weigh in, and the fight was cancelled.

Is there a fitting punishment for the weighty infraction? How about we have Castillo fight his next bout at heavyweight? That way he can eat to his heart, and belly’s content…