It wasn't long ago that Kendo "Tremendo" Castaneda seemed like a star in the making. He had headlined RJJ Promotions cards, had compiled a 17-0 record captured a WBA (NABA) 140-pound title. He had championship talent and the personality to match. However, Castaneda, who hails from San Antonio, ran into a series of speed bumps. Just prior to the pandemic he went down to Florida and fought a fellow prospect in Yomar Alamo of Puerto Rico. Castaneda got his pocket picked in what was one of the worst decisions of 2020. He lost a decision to a house fighter fighting in front of his local fans. Not a first in boxing and it didn't seem to hurt Castaneda that much, the entire world thought he won and he was actually given a bigger fight, a huge opportunity. During the height of the pandemic in the summer of 2020, Castaneda was rewarded with a fight against Jose Zepeda. A fight in the main event with one of the premier 140-pound fighters on ESPN with just not the boxing world watching, but the entire sporting world watching as there were no other sports on. "Tremendo" took the fight on short notice and fought valiantly coming up just short in a decision loss. When asked if he had a full camp to prepare for the fight would the result ahve been different? He responded "Of course" and perhaps it would have been.
Three months later Castaneda was given another big fight against Top Rank's premier prospect Josue Vargas. Castaneda was not on point and handed in a career worse performance, being dropped and then ultimately dropping a lopsided decision. Things got worse when he dropped yet another decision to Mauricio Pintor in Mexico in April of this year. Castaneda had a few fights fall through and things looked bleak for the once-promising San Antonio Prospect. The now 28-year-old ring veteran gets a big opportunity in his hometown. As he battles unbeaten Golden Boy prospect Raul Curiel on the undercard of Gilberto Ramirez vs Yunieski Gonzalez. A big fight for the San Antonian and the best news is he gets to return home and fight in front of his Alamo City fanbase at the AT&T Center. an experience the Tremoundous one is excited for saying "I am honored, I am just happy to be back in front of my main support systems"
There is good reason for optimism in the Tremendo camp. Castaneda is back with his former trainer "Jesse" James Leija a former world champion who had been with Castaneda when he was an up-and-coming prospect. Additionally, Castaneda is fighting at a new and more comfortable weight, he has moved up to welterweight. Saying "it's still a struggle but I'm making weight better than I did at 140" adding "I am here to stay at '47 and I want all the fights at 147" Getting all those fights begins tomorrow, right back where it all started in San Antonio with Leija in his corner. A win over a fighter, Curiel, who does fight into Catendas hands, could lead him to bigger fights with the other big names in Golden Boy's stable of welterweights which include, Rashidi Ellis, Alexis Rocha, and Blair Cobbs.