When former WBA-NABA 140 pound champion and former blue blue-chip hip prospect Kendo "Tremendo" Castaneda of San Antonio entered the "Last Chance" tournament and hired brought in klargerly unknown trainer Ronnie Cantu as his head trainer. It seemed like an odd move. Castaneda had loss five consecutive fights and hadnt won since October of 2019 and the 28-year-old Cantu hadn't been the head trainer in a high-profile fight. However, the life long friends knew exactly waht they were doing. "we've been friends for 18 years. I met him when we were both 10 and were both 28 now. The chemistry is something special which is why it's working. We understand each other on a different level. I don't even have to say things sometimes and he already knows.
Its been a match made in heaven as of September Cantu has a strong case for trainer of the year, and Castaneda has a claim for comeback fighter of the year, KO of the year over (Sonny Fredrickson), and Fight of the Year ( Joseph Fernandez). Castaneda who has had famed trainer Bobby Benton of Main St Gym in Houston and former world champ James Leija as the main man in his corner. Neither of them were able to maximize Castaneda's natural gifts, his physical strength, high punch out put, surprising pop in both hands and come forward style the way Cantu has. The young trainer explained "Kendo and I grew up together in the ametur ranks... we believe in each other and we push each other. " The belief in Cantu has proven to be perhaps the best move of Castaneda's tremendous career. The two wins Castaneda has scored in the first two rounds of the "Last Chance" tournament has totally rejuvenated career. Following the five consecutive loses Castaneda's career seemed to be spiraling downwards. However, Castaneda never doubted himself, his trainer and vest friend described his fighter's confidence "if you know Kendo he will always stay the same. We were in the fighter meeting with Roy Jones R, (Antonio) Taver, (Paulie) Malignaggi and they were like freaking out. This guys energy is crazy after 5 losses. How do you have that energy? But that's just Kendo, he has always been the same. After every win and loss, he is the same person."
In the first round of the ProBox Last Chance Tournament Castaneda scored a vicious first-round knockout. A left hook was set up by a double right hand. Exactly the way Cantu drew it up "the plan was to double up everything to take away that reach advantage we couldn't throw just one. It was the double right hand and the left hook just opened up" the San Antonio-based trainer explained.
Up next was Joseph Fernandez a fight that very well could be the 2022 Fight of the Year. A back and forth affair that produced what has to be the round of the year so far in the ninth. Prior to the start of the round, the microphones picked up Cantu telling Castaneda six-minutes for the rest of your life. Cantu, a veteran of over 100 ameture fights said before the epic ninth round I knew something was up. I am telling what to do and hes doing it but then it jsut stops. I asked him what's going on and he said "bro I am retired" As a fighter who has been through this You can't really tell him anything at that point the mental fatigue kicks in execute you can't really execute because your tired. My instincts kicked in. Ok i gotta motivate him now. I just gotta push him. So I was like ok you got two rounds, six-minutes, for the rest of your life that's it. The next round the fight changed."
Changed it did as Castaneda nearly scored a stoppage of Fernandez and went on to score the unanimous decision. He'll battle with Antonio Moran who has been in the ring with Devin Haney, Jose Pedraza and Arnold Barboza and has been equally impressive in the first two rounds of the Last Chance Tournament. A win in the finals will propel Castaneda not just to where he was when he was a 17-0 champion but will put him in the discussion for a world title. A fight with Moran certainly won't be easier and the trainer/fighter duo is thankful for the war they endured with Fernandez in the semi-finals of the tournament "He needed that he needed to be pushed like that to be prepared for a tough war with Moran" Cantu explained.
The finals of Last Chance vs Moran is scheduled for November 4th, no location has been confirmed at this time. However, one thing has been confirmed and thats Castaneda's confidence which is sky high going into what is the biggest fight of his career. Coming off of the two big wins its as iff the 5 loses never happened. Cantu explains "it feels great we're doing this man it's all God's timing everything is coming together at the right time. Everything is flowing at the right time. Its an amazing feeling."