Moments ago at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, former jr. welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov defeated Jose Luis Castillo, dropping and stopping the former lightweight champion in the 5th round. It didn't take long for Provodnkov to back Castillo up to the ropes, finding a home for his left hook. Although Castillo tried to make it a fight, landing an occasional right hand and getting some work done on the inside, it was clear early that the younger Provodnikov was going to be too strong and too fast for the aging veteran.
In the 3rd round, Provodnikov started to pick up the pace, beating Castillo at his own game by outworking him on the inside. To his credit, Castillo continued to fired back, getting a little work done, but not nearly enough to stop Provodnikov from coming forward with his assault.
In round 5, Provodnikov landed a hard left hand that rocked Castillo badly. He wasted no time to in jumping on him, landing a series of punches against the ropes that forced Castillo to cover up and hold on. Another left hand followed by a barrage of punches sent Castillo to the canvas for a knockdown. Although he beat the count, Provodnikov again jumped on him and landed a devastating body shot. Castillo had a delayed reaction before clutching his side and taking a knee in the corner, prompting the referee to call a halt to the contest.
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