Carlos Castro Bio
Carlos Alejandro Castro Manriquez, known professionally as Carlos Castro, is an American professional boxer born on 6 March 1994 in Ciudad Obregón, Mexico. Raised in Phoenix, Arizona, he began training in the sport as a child under his father’s guidance and has built a respected résumé across the super bantamweight and featherweight divisions. Known for his orthodox stance, patient combinations, and knockout power, Castro has been active since 2016 and continues to compete at a high level on the international circuit.
Standing 170 centimeters tall with a 178-centimeter reach, Castro campaigns primarily as a featherweight and is recognized for his consistent work rate and finishing instinct. He is promoted by Top Rank, one of the sport’s leading promotional outfits, and has accumulated a professional record of 30 wins against three losses, with 14 knockouts among his victories.
Early Life and Background
Carlos Alejandro Castro Manriquez was born on 6 March 1994 in Ciudad Obregón, a city in the Mexican state of Sonora. He was brought to the United States as a young child, and his family settled in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was raised and where he continues to reside. Growing up in Phoenix placed him in a region with a long amateur boxing tradition and numerous competitive gyms that helped shape his early development.
Castro was introduced to boxing around the age of seven by his father, who became his first mentor inside the ring. The family environment emphasized discipline and regular training, and Castro quickly developed a passion for the sport. Through years of amateur work in Arizona, he built the foundation of a southpaw-orthodox switch-friendly technical base, though he ultimately adopted a more conventional orthodox stance as a professional.
Path to Professional Boxing
Castro progressed through the amateur ranks in Arizona before deciding to turn professional in 2016. His amateur background, built within a competitive regional scene, prepared him for the demands of paid competition, and he made the jump to the professional ranks at the age of 22. The transition marked the beginning of a long climb through regional and continental titles.
Early in his professional career, Castro trained out of Phoenix-area gyms and gradually built a reputation as a sharp technical fighter with developing power. His run of undefeated performances through his first nineteen outings attracted the attention of major promoters, and by mid-2018 he had secured a multi-year promotional contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank, cementing his place among the company’s rising featherweight prospects.
Carlos Castro Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Castro made his professional debut on June 16, 2016, scoring a four-round unanimous decision victory against Tony Green at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. The home-state setting gave him an immediate comfort advantage, and he used the platform to begin stacking victories in the super bantamweight division.
Over the next two years, Castro compiled an unbeaten record of 19 wins with eight knockouts. He steadily climbed regional rankings, facing a mix of journeyman opposition and developing contenders while sharpening his combination punching and defensive craft. That run set the stage for his first opportunity at a professional championship.
Super Bantamweight Breakthrough (2018–2019)
On February 24, 2018, Castro faced Alexis Santiago at the Celebrity Theatre for the vacant WBC-USNBC super bantamweight title. After controlling the bout with consistent pressure, Castro landed a series of combinations in the tenth and final round that prompted Santiago’s corner to throw in the towel at 1 minute 50 seconds, awarding Castro a technical knockout victory and his first professional championship.
In June 2018, Castro signed a multi-year contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank promotional company, elevating his profile and pairing him with a deeper schedule of opponents. Following a unanimous decision win over Diuhl Olguin in a non-title fight in August 2018, he defeated Genesis Servania by unanimous decision on February 10, 2019, capturing the vacant WBC Continental Americas super bantamweight title at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, California. The judges’ scorecards read 100–90, 99–91, and 98–92. He went on to defend that belt successfully on two occasions before moving up in weight.
Featherweight Era (2020–Present)
After three more victories, including two title defenses at super bantamweight, Castro moved up to the featherweight division. His first bout at the new weight came in July 2020, when he stopped Cesar Juarez in the fourth round to announce himself at 126 pounds. The performance signaled that his power had carried up effectively with him.
On August 21, 2021, Castro faced former two-weight interim world champion Óscar Escandón at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, as part of the undercard for Manny Pacquiao versus Yordenis Ugás. Castro scored knockdowns in rounds seven and ten, and the referee stopped the contest at 1 minute 8 seconds into the tenth round, awarding Castro the vacant WBC Continental Americas featherweight title by knockout. The win over a seasoned former interim champion elevated his standing among Top Rank’s featherweight contenders.
Driving Style and Strengths
Castro fights from an orthodox stance and relies on sharp combination punching, disciplined defense, and well-timed power shots. He is comfortable working behind a stiff jab, breaking opponents down with body work before closing rounds with high-volume flurries, and he has shown the patience to accumulate decisions when stoppages are not available.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Castro’s signature moments are his first championship victory over Alexis Santiago in 2018, his dominant title-winning performance against Genesis Servania in 2019, and his tenth-round knockout of former interim champion Óscar Escandón on the Manny Pacquiao versus Yordenis Ugás undercard in 2021. Each fight represented a step up in class and showcased his ability to perform on major platforms.
Carlos Castro Career Wins
Castro has recorded 30 professional victories across the super bantamweight and featherweight divisions, with 14 wins coming by knockout and the remainder by decision. His championship victories include the WBC-USNBC super bantamweight title and the WBC Continental Americas titles at both super bantamweight and featherweight.
Super Bantamweight Highlights
In the super bantamweight division, Castro captured the WBC-USNBC title by stopping Alexis Santiago in February 2018 and later claimed the WBC Continental Americas super bantamweight title with a unanimous decision over Genesis Servania in February 2019. He went on to defend that continental belt twice before vacating it to campaign at featherweight.
Featherweight Highlights
Since moving up to featherweight in 2020, Castro has added the WBC Continental Americas featherweight title to his collection, headlined by his tenth-round knockout of former interim champion Óscar Escandón in 2021. He has continued to appear on prominent Top Rank cards as he works toward a potential world title opportunity.
| Division | Wins | Losses | Knockout Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Bantamweight | 19 | 0 | 8 |
| Featherweight | 11 | 3 | 6 |
Carlos Castro Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Castro was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, by his family after being brought to the United States as a young child from Ciudad Obregón, Mexico. His father introduced him to boxing at around the age of seven and served as his first mentor in the sport, instilling the discipline and work ethic that have defined his professional career.
Personal Life
Castro continues to reside in Phoenix, Arizona, the city where he grew up and first developed as a fighter. He keeps much of his personal life out of the public eye and is widely known to his fans as ‘The Chosen One,’ a nickname that has accompanied him throughout his professional career.
2025 Season Performance
Entering 2025, Carlos Castro remains an active featherweight contender under the Top Rank banner and continues to be positioned among the division’s notable names. His combination of technical skill, knockout power, and experience against former champions makes him a regular fixture on major fight cards in the United States.
His career record of 30 wins and three losses, with 14 knockouts, underscores his status as a proven operator at the continental level. With the WBC Continental Americas featherweight title already on his résumé, Castro is widely viewed as a fighter capable of challenging for a full world championship should the right opportunity arise.
Throughout 2025, Castro is expected to continue building his case for a world title shot through high-profile matchups, with Top Rank likely to place him on competitive cards as he pursues a chance to face the division’s elite. His experience on major platforms, including the Manny Pacquiao versus Yordenis Ugás undercard, demonstrates his readiness for the sport’s biggest stages.