Carlos Castro Bio
Carlos Alejandro Castro Manriquez, born on March 6, 1994, is an American professional boxer who has competed in the super bantamweight and featherweight divisions since 2016. Born in Ciudad Obregón, Mexico, Castro was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where he first stepped into a boxing gym as a child under the guidance of his father. Over the course of his professional career, he has compiled a record of 30 wins against a small number of losses, with 14 of his victories coming by knockout and 16 by decision.
Early Life and Background
Carlos Alejandro Castro Manriquez was born on March 6, 1994, in Ciudad Obregón, in the state of Sonora, Mexico. He was brought to the United States as a young child, and his family settled in Phoenix, Arizona, where he grew up and still resides. The move from northwestern Mexico to the desert Southwest shaped much of his upbringing and introduced him to the sporting culture of the American Southwest.
Castro’s introduction to boxing came through his father, who placed him in a gym at around the age of seven. From those earliest sessions, he trained alongside his father and quickly developed a foundation in the fundamentals of the sport. That early, steady exposure in Phoenix gyms helped him build the technical base and discipline that would later support a long professional career.
Path to Boxing
Castro’s path to professional boxing ran through the amateur scene in Phoenix, where he continued to develop after his introduction to the sport as a child. The amateur ranks gave him a platform to test himself in structured competition and refine an orthodox stance that has remained the hallmark of his style. His progress through those developmental years prepared him for the step up into the paid ranks.
By the time he was ready to turn professional in 2016, Castro had built a reputation as a promising local talent in the Arizona boxing community. His combination of height, a 178-centimeter reach, and disciplined fundamentals made him well-suited for the super bantamweight division, where he would begin his professional journey.
Carlos Castro Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Carlos Alejandro Castro Manriquez 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 homecoming setting in Phoenix gave him a supportive crowd for his first outing, and he made the most of it by controlling the fight from start to finish.
He continued to build momentum over the following year and a half, stacking win after win and steadily improving his record. By early 2018, Castro had compiled an unbeaten professional record of 19 wins, including 8 by knockout, establishing himself as one of the top young prospects in the regional super bantamweight scene.
Super Bantamweight Breakthrough (2018–2020)
Castro’s first major breakthrough came on February 24, 2018, when he returned to the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix to face Alexis Santiago for the vacant WBC–USNBC super bantamweight title. After ten rounds of consistent pressure, Castro landed a series of combinations in the final round that forced Santiago’s corner to throw in the towel at 1 minute 50 seconds, earning him a technical knockout victory and his first professional championship.
In June 2018, Castro signed a multi-year promotional contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank, a significant step that placed him on a global stage. Following a non-title unanimous decision win against Diuhl Olguin in August, he defeated Genesis Servania via unanimous decision on February 10, 2019, at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, California, capturing the vacant WBC Continental Americas super bantamweight title with scorecards of 100–90, 99–91, and 98–92. After three more victories, including two title defenses, he closed out his super bantamweight chapter before moving up in weight.
Featherweight Era (2020–Present)
In 2020, Castro moved up to the featherweight division and immediately announced his arrival with a fourth-round stoppage victory against Cesar Juarez in July of that year. The performance showed that his power and timing translated cleanly to the higher weight class, and it set the tone for his next chapter.
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. He scored knockdowns in rounds seven and ten, and the second knockdown prompted the referee to stop the contest at 1 minute 8 seconds of the tenth round, awarding Castro the vacant WBC Continental Americas featherweight title by knockout. The victory on such a high-profile card cemented his status as a contender at featherweight.
Style and Strengths
Castro fights from an orthodox stance and uses his 178-centimeter reach to keep opponents at a measured distance while he builds combinations. He is known for steady pressure, accurate straight punches, and the patience to close out fights late, as demonstrated in both his tenth-round stoppage of Alexis Santiago and his tenth-round knockout of Óscar Escandón.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Castro’s signature moments are his first professional title win over Alexis Santiago in 2018, his signing with Top Rank later that year, and his tenth-round knockout of Óscar Escandón on the Manny Pacquiao versus Yordenis Ugás undercard in 2021. Each of those results marked a step up in opposition and exposure, and together they trace the arc of his rise from Phoenix debutant to international title contender.
Carlos Castro Career Wins
Across his professional career, Carlos Alejandro Castro Manriquez has compiled 30 verified wins, with 14 of those coming by knockout and 16 by decision. His victories span both the super bantamweight and featherweight divisions, and include regional championships defended over multiple outings.
Super Bantamweight Highlights
Castro’s super bantamweight run was anchored by his unanimous decision victory over Genesis Servania for the WBC Continental Americas title in 2019, which he followed with two successful title defenses. He closed that chapter unbeaten at the weight before making the strategic decision to move up to featherweight in 2020.
Featherweight Highlights
In his new division, Castro wasted little time making an impact, stopping Cesar Juarez in the fourth round in July 2020 before claiming the WBC Continental Americas featherweight title with a dramatic tenth-round knockout of Óscar Escandón in August 2021. Those results established him as an active and dangerous operator at featherweight.
Carlos Castro Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Castro’s most direct connection to boxing runs through his father, who introduced him to the sport at around the age of seven and helped lay the foundation for his professional career. That early family guidance remains a defining part of his story as a fighter.
Personal Life
Carlos Alejandro Castro Manriquez resides in Phoenix, Arizona, the city where he was raised and where he continues to train. He keeps much of his personal life private, and limited verified public details are available beyond his residence and his boxing career.
2025 Season Performance
Entering 2025, Carlos Alejandro Castro Manriquez continues his campaign in the featherweight division, building on the momentum of his 2021 WBC Continental Americas featherweight title win over Óscar Escandón. As an active Top Rank fighter, he remains positioned among the regional contenders at 126 pounds, with his established orthodox style and knockout power serving as the foundation of his approach.
His career arc through 2024 and into 2025 reflects steady activity in the featherweight ranks, where he has continued to add to his 30-win, 14-knockout professional record. Each outing offers a chance to climb closer to a world title opportunity, and his record of late stoppages suggests he remains a threat to finish fights when given the chance.
Looking ahead, the outlook for Castro in 2025 centers on sustaining his ranking at featherweight and pursuing larger fights under the Top Rank banner. With his combination of experience, reach, and finishing ability, he enters the year as one of the more experienced American contenders in the division.