Carlos Castro, on the other hand, isn’t so sure. This Saturday night, Carrington and Castro will box for the vacant WBC featherweight title as part of The Ring 6 card preceding Teofimo Lopez-Shakur Stevenson at New York's Madison Square Garden. Castro has listened to some of the critiques surrounding Carrington's level of opposition. He doesn't believe the interim beltholder is a lesser fighter, but wants the 28-year-old to know that he's in for the fight of his life.

"He's a great fighter," Castro told The Ring during a recent sit-down. "I believe he's one of the best featherweights there is at the moment but I think it's a big step up, he should look at it that way."

Mateus Heita, Antique Vivas, Dana Coolwell, and Sulaiman Segawa were the names Carrington (16-0, 9 KOs) knocked off while rising up the rankings. His lopsided points win over Heita on July 26 earned him the WBC interim strap.

Once upon a time, Castro (30-3, 14 KOs) had his own spotless record. While Carrington's current 16-fight win streak is impressive, Castro nearly doubled that tally with 27 straight wins to start his career. At the moment though, that feels like a lifetime ago. With a 3-3 record in his last six appearances, including a split decision defeat by two-division champion Stephen Fulton in September 2024, Castro hasn’t been seen since. A spotty resume over the last few years, paired with inactivity, has some feeling as though he shouldn’t be fighting for a world title. That criticism is fair, but is it true? Castro thinks differently. "I'm here to prove that I deserve the shot," Castro continued. "I deserve to be a world champion."