At one point in his career, Diego Corrales was tops in the hearts of boxing writers and fans of the game everywhere. He had his miraculous 10th-round technical knockout victory over Jose Luis Castillo in May 2005 to thank for that. Comebacks don’t get any better than Corrales’ did in that fight. Any losses he may have had before that meant nothing at that point, because that win was as incredible as they come.
Corrales has taken some hits since then. Literally and figuratively. He was knocked out by Castillo with one punch in the fourth round of their rematch five months later, a fight for which
Corrales’ two lightweight title belts were taken off the table because Castillo weighed in well over the 135-pound limit.
Corrales and Castillo were supposed to fight a third time, but their fight was canceled when Castillo again came in way overweight. Corrales blasted him verbally.
The soap opera continued last October at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. On Oct. 6, Corrales came in very heavy for a title defense against Joel Casamayor – just like Castillo had – and lost his lightweight belt on the scales. Corrales was viewed as a hypocrite. Casamayor then won the belt the next night with a split decision over a weakened, yet game, Corrales.
This interesting saga went on recently when Joe Goossen said Corrales still owes him $110,000 for what Goossen said was supposed to be a $120,000 payday for him to train Corrales for Casamayor. Corrales disputed those claims in a national conference call promoting his fight Saturday with Joshua Clottey in conference call promoting his fight Saturday with Joshua Clottey in Springfield, Mo. (Showtime will televise).
But, wait, Clottey is a welterweight. That’s right, Corrales is not only moving up two weight classes to 147 pounds, he is taking on a fighter who just went 12 hard rounds with tough Antonio Margarito, who holds one of the four welterweight belts
Therein lies the one thing we can’t take away from Corrales. Yes, his place in boxing’s current pound-for-pound standings his dipped. His character has perhaps taken a hit because of his hypocrisy. But Corrales is arguably the most courageous fighter that has graced the ring in recent times
Here is an example. Israel Vazquez, known as a gutsy fighter, recently quit in the middle of defending his super Here is an example. Israel Vazquez, known as a gutsy fighter,
recently quit in the middle of defending his superbantamweight title against Rafael Marquez last March 3 because he thought he had a broken nose. Now, is there one person out there who thinks for one second that Corrales would have quit under such circumstances? Not a chance.
Vazquez and Marquez both said they were willing to give their lives in that fight. Obviously, Vazquez never meant that. When Corrales says he is willing to walk through hell for a victory, he means it and then some.
One might be able to count on one hand the amount of fighters who would have come back against Castillo the way he did. He had to be half dead when he did.
It should then be no surprise that Corrales is taking on a world-class fighter in his first fight at a much larger weight. No, Clottey is not Felix Trinidad Jr., who was a welterweight killer.
But Clottey does have 19 knockouts in 32 fights – he’s 30-2 – which means he does have pop.
But, hey, Corrales knows nothing different. Tune-up fight? Forget about it.
“Joshua Clottey is a great fighter,” Corrales said. “Like I have said all the time, I want to make great fights and make great fights happen. When they asked me about Clottey, I tought it was a great opportunity and a great fight.
“There was no hesitation at all. I want to be known as a great fighter and the way you do that is by fighting the best fighters out there … He is a real welterweight; he is a real good
fighter at welterweight and definitely somebody to respect.”
Corrales (40-4, 33 KOs) said the reason he moved up two weight classes instead of going to junior welterweight first is because he never got lower than 142 pounds a week before he was supposed to weigh in at 135 for his rubber match with Casamayor six months ago. When a skeletal Corrales finally tipped the scales, he first weighed 140, then 139 1/2. Not even close.
Corrales then told reporters he felt well worse than he did when he had trouble making weight for his 10th-round technical knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a super featherweight title fight in January 2001. Corrales said about that Casamayor fight, “I almost died to make the weight…”
That’s why he bypassed junior welterweight. He said he had a consultation with doctors. When it was over, it was agreed that 147 is where it’s at for Corrales.
“This is a big change, but I am not dying to make the weight and that makes the biggest difference,” he said. “I am not killing myself to actually make the weight.”
Indeed, this is a big change. But Corrales, 29, is just the fighter who can move up two weight classes in one fell swoop and be successful. Against Clottey, he will immediately be tested. Corrales knows that from having recently watched tape of Clottey duking it out against Margarito last December in Atlantic City.
“I sat back and thought how I put myself in another good one,” Corrales said.
He certainly did, according to Clottey.
“I do not know what he is coming to do until we get in the ring,” Clottey, 30, said. “I know he has been fighting a long time and I know he is a very good fighter. I know he used to come forward.
“I know how to move around, but I like coming forward because I always want to make a fight. So if he is coming forward and I am coming forward, it is going to be a very exciting fight.”
As for the beef between Corrales and Goossen, it’s no secret that the two have parted ways. Corrales is now being trained near his home in Las Vegas by Dickie Wood because Corrales said he wants to be near his wife Michelle, who is pregnant.
Corrales said Goossen, whose gym is in Van Nuys, Calif., doesn’t like to travel to train. Goossen said the best thing for Corrales is for him to be away from his expectant wife while he is in training.
The money is another issue. Corrales claims he told Goossen after the rematch with Castillo in October 2005 that he would no longer pay him 10 percent of his purses. He said he paid Goossen a flat fee for Casamayor, and that is that.
Goossen said the idea that Corrales told him of his plans to drastically cut back on his trainer fee is “a complete fabrication” and that the $10,000 he was paid was nothing more than a tip as far as he is concerned.
Time and perhaps a judge will tell.
Goossen may end up taking more money from Corrales, but neither Goossen nor anyone else will be able to take Corrales’ heart.
He has plenty.
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