On Saturday, December 7, 2002, the highly anticipated rematch between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Jose Luis Castillo took place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. In front of a crowd of approximately 6,000 boxing enthusiasts, Mayweather successfully defended his WBC Lightweight Title against Castillo, employing a strategy focused on evading a direct confrontation with his opponent.
Throughout the fight, Mayweather demonstrated a keen sense of tactical prowess. Instead of engaging in a slugfest, he opted for a more calculated approach, utilizing his jab and right leads to disrupt Castillo's rhythm. This strategy kept the Mexican challenger off balance and prevented him from gaining the upper hand in their exchanges.
Despite his effective tactics, Mayweather's refusal to engage more forcefully with Castillo drew boos from spectators who were hoping for a more action-packed bout. Nonetheless, Mayweather's performance was enough to secure victory, as he landed 162 of 399 total punches (41 percent) and 74 of 164 power punches (45 percent). In comparison, Castillo connected on 137 of 604 total punches (23 percent) and 101 of 427 power shots (24 percent).
For this fight, Mayweather received a purse of $2.4 million, further solidifying his position as one of boxing's top earners. Post-fight, Mayweather commented on his strategy, stating, "I told you it would be easy this time. My plan was to box more, no power shots, be smart."
Scores: Ken Morita 115-113 | Larry O'Connell 116-113 | Daniel Van de Wiele 115-113
