Gilbert Lenin Castillo Rivera (born August 21, 1988)[1] is a Dominican professional boxer who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Lenin Castillo | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gilbert Lenin Castillo Rivera August 21, 1988 Katanga, Los Minas, Dominican Republic |
| Nationality | Dominican |
| Other names | Lenin |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Light heavyweight |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 30 |
| Wins | 24 |
| Wins by KO | 19 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Draws | 1 |
Early and personal life
Castillo was born on August 21, 1988, in Santo Domingo. He boxed for the Julito López Club in Los Mina trained by Papito Pujols.[2]
Amateur career
In 2006, Castillo won the gold medal at the Junior Pan American Championships and the gold in the Romana Cup.[3] In 2007 he won the bronze in the ALBA Games, silver in the Romana Cup, bronze in the Dominican Independence Cup.[4]
Castillo qualified to the 2008 Olympic Games in Guatemala in April 2008,[4][5] and in May he won the gold medal at the Cheo Aponte Cup in Caguas, Puerto Rico.[6] He competed at the Olympic welterweight category in Beijing, China, but lost his first fight to Olexandr Stretskyy 6:9.[7] He also went to the 2009 American Continental Championships, earning the bronze medal.[8] He also participated at the 2009 World Championships in Milan, Italy in the light heavyweight category losing in the round of 16 to Uzbekistani Elshod Rasulov 11-1.[9]
Professional career
In April 2012, Castillo signed for the boxing promoter Acquinity Sports along with compatriots Manuel Félix Díaz and Argenis Mendez.[10] One month later, in May he won by unanimous decision to the Mexican Alvaro Enriquez to improve his record to (5-0-0) in a fight held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, United States.[11] In July, he knocked out the Mexican Ricardo Campillo in the second round in a Light Heavyweight category combat held in Hollywood, Florida, improving his record to 7-0.[12] In Santo Domingo, in October, he knocked out compatriot Emilio Cayetano who did not come out for the 5th round, resulting in the fifth TKO and eighth victory for Castillo.[13] After compiling a record of 15-0-1, Castillo suffered his first professional defeat to Joseph Williams, who won their fight by a majority decision. After fighting six more times, with a record of 5-1 (the loss coming to Marcus Browne), Castillo challenged Dmitry Bivol for his WBA (Super) light-heavyweight title on October 12, 2019. He lost by a unanimous decision. On September 25, 2021, Castillo suffered a brutal knockout loss to Callum Smith, on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s world heavyweight title defence against Oleksandr Usyk. He hit the canvas after taking a right hook to the chin from Smith and his legs began to shake uncontrollably. He was hospitalised after suffering a seizure, but was later released.