LEGANES, Spain Spain's Javier Castillejo hardly lived up to his nickname of El Lince The Sharphooter but did enough to win the World Boxing Council super-welterweight world title on Saturday. Locally-born Castillejo, 30, fighting in a Madrid industrial suburb, substituted energy for accuracy and took the belt on a split points decision from reigning champion Keith Mullings of the United States. After twelve rounds of entertaining, if not enthralling, boxing the judges' verdict announced as: 114-115, 114-114, 112-116 (Mullings' points listed first).

The result meant that Spain had its first world champion in more than 20 years, Uco Lastra being the last to hold such an accolade before losing the WBC featherweight crown to Eusebio Pedroza in April 1978. Mullings, who had held the title since December 1997, could hardly complain at the decision despite the close result. The first two rounds were even but after that Castillejo, who started the fight as the underdog, was always ahead.

Castillejo could possibly have resolved the fight earlier, with Mullings looking in trouble during the seventh round, but instead opted for some extravagent showboating. The Spaniard's antics won him loud cheers from his partisan Spanish supporters, who occupied most of the seating around the converted bullring, but dismayed the neutrals in the audience. Castillejo took his career record to 44-4 while Mullings drops to The victor's next opponent is undecided but the most likely candidate is the American fighter Oscar de la Hoya, the undisputed welterweight champion of the world and rated one of the best pound-for-pound boxers around, who will without doubt provide Castillejo with more problems than the dour Mullings. (Reuter)