World Boxing News first reported on Dominican fighter Alexis Rafael Castillo Sanchez after he set one of the most remarkable records in current boxing by losing his first 40 professional fights, 36 of them by knockout.

At that point, it seemed like the story was over. Castillo Sanchez’s career appeared to be over in 2018 after a long string of losses that spanned over a decade in the sport.

However, official fight records show that the boxer later returned to the ring under a completely different name in his 40s.

Since then, Castillo Sanchez has competed as Alexis de la Cruz Shephard, adding three more attacks to improve a record that was 0-40 when the case was first reviewed by WBN.

All three bouts ended in consecutive stoppage defeats, bringing the overall score to 0-43, with 39 losses by knockout.

For two of these latter defeats, there are no confirmed match stoppage details in the official records, meaning the exact moment or method of the knockout was never formally documented.

Name change

The change makes the situation even more unusual.

The boxer, previously known as Alexis Rafael Castillo Sanchez, has appeared on recent fight lists as Alexis de la Cruz Shephard, which is a significant change from the name under which he was recorded earlier in his career.

World Boxing News determined the career continued after reviewing opponents’ recent records, where matching biographical details ultimately revealed the same fighter was competing again years after the original report.

Latest fights

The three additional fights occurred between 2022 and 2024, during which time Shephard was competing between the ages of 45 and 47, according to records.

In April 2022, Shephard lost by TKO to Dario Duran Gonzalez in Moncion. Four months later, he returned to Monte Plata, where he suffered another defeat in the second round against Emille Gonzalez Lopez.

His last appearance was on December 18, 2024 in Santo Domingo, where Shephard was stopped in the opening round by Omar Alexander Rivera Cerda after suffering a shoulder injury.

Each fight followed a familiar pattern from the earlier part of his career, which had already seen dozens of early finals.

An extraordinary record

When WBN first considered the case, Castillo Sanchez’s record was already distinguished by the huge number of losses due to stoppages and the length of the series.

The fighter started his career in 2007 and competed in many weight classes before finally moving up to heavyweight.

During this period, he faced a wide range of opponents, from first-time prospects to seasoned professionals, rarely lasting beyond the early rounds.

Additional fights recorded under the pseudonym Alexis de la Cruz Shephard extended this streak even further, creating one of current boxing’s strangest records.

Time will tell if his career will last beyond 0-43.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

WBA welterweight world champion Rolando Romero presented his prediction for Floyd Mayweather’s rematch with Manny Pacquiao.

Two pound-for-pound legends will face off at the Sphere in Las Vegason September 19, and their second meeting was the highlight of a live event on Netflix.

Their first meeting, which ended with Mayweather winning by unanimous decision, took place in 2015 and became the most lucrative boxing gala of all time.

By then, former multi-division world champions were already considered to be past their prime, and Pacquiao in particular no longer had the speed and ferocity for which he had always been known.

It must be admitted, however, that the Filipino has played eight professional matches since their first meeting, and his last assignment was in July against Mario Barrios.

And despite a nearly four-year layoff following his loss to Yordenis Ugas, Pacquiao was able to hold a controversial draw against the then-WBC welterweight champion.

Meanwhile, Mayweather hasn’t fought professionally since a 10th-round victory over Conor McGregor in 2017, but his dominant victory over “Pac Man” more than two years earlier led many to predict a similar result in the rematch.

One of them is Romero, who told “The Last Stand” podcast. that he cannot see Pacquiao, at the age of 47, making any drastic changes to his original performance.

“Floyd wins. And whatever happens, happens. It was meant to be. Whoever God wants to win, will win.”

“But what would be the difference [to] first fight? Was there really anything else Pacquiao could have had? [done]?”

Mayweather, now 49, has competed in a series of exhibition matches since his victory over McGregor, but now he is preparing to put his 50-0 record on the line.

The Matchroom promoter believes this approach prevents reporters from pressing White on more complex topics related to the business side of combat sports.

“I listen to these guys asking questions and no one is pushing him,” Hearn said. “Nobody’s really asking any solemn questions. Nobody’s really asking any of the right questions. It’s a huge machine that you can’t get close to and ask real questions.”

Hearn suggested that reporters covering White should challenge him on issues such as fighter compensation and revenue sharing in the UFC.

“When I’m in the middle of a media row, I ask the question: if Tom Aspinall is generating more money into the pot than Conor Benn, why is he making 10 times less money?” Hearn said. “Can you answer that?”

The comparison between Aspinall and Benn highlights one of the arguments Hearn has repeatedly made when discussing the financial differences between boxing and mixed martial arts. In boxing, fighters typically negotiate individual amounts for events, television rights and commercial deals. The UFC, on the other hand, operates on the basis of long-term promotional contracts that determine the remuneration of fighters.

Hearn’s comments come amid growing friction between the British promoter and White following the launch of Zuffa Boxing. The first major events under the modern venture, backed by TKO Group Holdings and Saudi investment, are expected to take place later this year as White moves beyond MMA.

White has already publicly fired Hearn, describing him as just another manager entering the MMA space. Meanwhile, Hearn questioned the initial direction of the project and the quality of the events produced so far.

The exchange quickly turned into one of the more high-profile rivalries surrounding efforts to build a modern boxing league.

Hearn’s criticism of interview restrictions also touches on a broader issue in combat sports media: how much reporters can challenge promoters and management when access to fighters and events often depends on maintaining professional relationships. These questions need to continue to be asked, according to Hearn.