Teixeira elevated to full WBO champion, ordered to face Castano
Photo by Tom Hogan/Golden Boy/Getty Images
Jaime Munguia has officially vacated in his move to 160 pounds
Patrick Teixeira can now clip the “interim” part out of his championship title, though the comes with some dangerous strings attached. Jaime Munguia has vacated his super welterweight title ahead of his January 11th middleweight debut opposite Spike O’Sullivan, leading the WBO to elevate Teixeira to full champion and order him to face former WBA champion and current top contender Brian Castano.
Teixeira (31-1, 22 KO) was the obvious B-side going into his vacant title bout with Carlos Adames this past Saturday, a perceived also-ran whose one time in the spotlight saw him blown to pieces by Curtis Stevens. Instead, he survived a rough start to take it to the Dominican power-puncher, dropping him in the seventh and pouring it on from there to secure the upset.
Castano (16-0-1, 12 KO) is nobody’s idea of a victory lap. The Argentinian defended his “regular” WBA title in March via gritty split decision against Erislandy Lara, and while he vacated the belt over a dispute with mandatory challenger and former victim Michel Soro, he ended the year strong by finishing Wale Omotoso via injury. We’ll definitely find out whether Teixeira has the goods or simply had the night of his life.