Salvador Sanchez vs Ruben Castillo

On April 12, 1980, at the Civic Auditorium in Tucson, Arizona, Salvador Sánchez defended his WBC featherweight title against Ruben Castillo. Sánchez, with a record of 34-1-1, weighed in at 126 pounds, while Castillo, standing at 44-1-0, tipped the scales at 125½ pounds. The bout was promoted by Five Star Promotions and Madison Square Garden, officiated by referee Marcello Bertini, and broadcast on ABC Sports.

In the early rounds, Castillo utilized his counterpunching skills and left hooks to establish a lead. However, Sánchez's persistent aggression began to shift the momentum. By the seventh round, Sánchez had overtaken Castillo on the scorecards, maintaining his advantage through effective pressure and combinations. Despite Castillo's resilience, Sánchez's superior tactics secured him a unanimous decision victory after 15 rounds, with judges' scores reflecting his control in the latter half of the fight.

This successful defence reinforced Sánchez's status as a dominant force in the featherweight division. At the same time, Castillo's commendable performance against a formidable champion further solidified his reputation as a skilled and durable contender.