Castillo, a 25-year-old Mexican competitor, has a professional record of 22-1-1 with 14 knockouts. However, because he is not currently rated by the WBO at 105 pounds, the sanctioning body must first determine whether he can be added to its rankings before sanctioning the championship fight.
In a statement released on Tuesday, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri explained that the organization’s ratings and championships committee will meet on Wednesday morning to review the request.
“The Rating and Championship Committee will meet tomorrow morning to carefully evaluate the request, the relevant factual circumstances and the merits of the athlete,” Olivieri wrote. “After completing its review, the committee will make the appropriate decision.”
Collazo was originally scheduled to defend his WBO title against Canoy in what many considered one of the most compelling fights in the bantamweight division. Canoy’s inability to obtain a work visa prompted promoters to quickly search for a replacement in an effort to keep the champion on the card.
Castillo previously challenged for a world title in 2024, losing a unanimous decision to then-WBA bantamweight champion Knockout CP Freshmart. Since that loss, the Mexican has rebuilt momentum with several victories and put himself back in the conversation at the world level.
Collazo, 29, unified the WBO and WBA bantamweight titles with a seventh-round stoppage victory over Thammanoon Niyomtrong in November 2025. The Puerto Rican southpaw is considered one of boxing’s top fighters among the major weight classes and aims to continue his run to further unification fights.
If approved by the WBO committee, Castillo will have just days to prepare for the biggest event of his career.
