Jose Luis Castillo failed to reach the 135-pound lightweight limit for his last three scheduled fights, and the Nevada Athletic Commission will address potential penalties in a disciplinary hearing Thursday. Photo by John Locher.

Jose Luis Castillo failed to make weight for his lightweight title fight against Diego Corrales on Oct. 8.

He fought anyway.

He failed to make weight for his Feb. 4 nontitle fight against Rolando Reyes in El Paso, Texas.

He fought anyway.

And he failed to make weight for his June 3 lightweight title bout against Corrales.

He didn't fight, but not because his representatives didn't lobby hard to allow him to do so.

They'll be at their lobbying best in Reno on Thursday when the Nevada Athletic Commission has a disciplinary hearing for the world's heaviest lightweight.

Castillo's failure to make the 135-pound limit for his scheduled June 3 fight against Corrales at the Thomas & Mack Center was one of the most egregious mistakes in state history and he should be punished severely for it.

On June 2, Corrales opted not to fight after Castillo weighed in at 139 1/2 pounds -- twice.

Corrales could have agreed to a nontitle bout, as he did in October when he didn't want to disappoint fans who bought tickets for the ballyhooed rematch of perhaps the greatest fight in boxing history.

Corrales and Castillo put on a magnificent battle May 7, 2005, at Mandalay Bay, a bout that ranks with Ali-Frazier III and Hagler-Hearns as one of the greatest ever.

But in October, Castillo missed the weight by 3 1/2 pounds, not an insignificant amount when one considers that only five pounds separate the lightweight and super lightweight classes. Castillo was closer to super lightweight than lightweight when he stepped off the scale at Caesars Palace on Oct. 7.

The lanky Corrales made the weight at considerable pain, then agreed to fight to salvage the show at the Thomas & Mack.

But Corrales wouldn't make the same mistake in June. He again sweated and sacrificed and diminished his body to reach 135 pounds, but Castillo nearly failed to make the 140-pound super lightweight limit, let alone lightweight.

Corrales correctly realized he had tortured his body and Castillo had not, which would have given Castillo a significant physical advantage.

Corrales said he'll never fight Castillo again, which is a shame because their bouts are so compelling. But can you blame him? The first time Castillo failed to make weight, Corrales went ahead anyway and got drilled for his trouble, getting knocked out in the fourth round.

The second time, he was forced to cancel the bout, which meant he not only didn't get paid but that he was also on the hook for all sorts of training expenses.

He would be a fool to even consider sharing a ring with Castillo again.

There are several potentially compelling bouts awaiting Castillo. A Castillo-Ricky Hatton fight would only be slightly less compelling than Castillo-Corrales.

A bout with Miguel Cotto, pitting two of the game's fiercest body punchers, would be brutal. A match with Ricardo Torres, the Colombian who lost a memorable slugfest to Cotto last year, would be a boxing home run derby.

However, who would buy a ticket to one of those fights, knowing there is a possibility that they might not occur because Castillo might not make weight? After all, this is a guy who, while still lightweight champion on June 25, 2002, weighed 150 pounds for a nontitle fight against Juan Angel Macias in Laughlin.

Castillo is a brilliant performer, but as a lightweight, he's a heavyweight literally and figuratively.

He needs to be held accountable for that. Had he spoken up even as late as Monday or Tuesday of fight week and said he couldn't make 135 pounds, the bout could have been salvaged. Corrales almost undoubtedly would have agreed to fight at a higher weight because he wouldn't have had to torture his body to shed the final few pounds.

But Castillo's flat arrogance -- he refused to talk about his weight the week of the fight, even though it was plainly obvious he couldn't make 135 pounds -- can't be ignored.

Nor can his failures at the scales in October or February be ignored, either.

The athletic commission needs to remind Castillo of the importance of fulfilling one's contract.

It should revoke his license to box, a harsh but deserved penalty that will sideline him for at least a year.

It's the only way the commission can guarantee the problem doesn't become an epidemic.

Kevin Iole's boxing column is published Saturday. He can be reached at 396-4428 or kiole@reviewjournal.com.