CORRALES-CASTILLO RESULTS & DISCUSSION THREAD 10/8/05

[bodyblow]

Frankly I dont understand the controversy. Corralles and his people agreed to the fight AFTER Castillo weighed in heavy. If they wanted to complain they should have called the whole thing off and bitched and moaned afterwards. Instead they went for the money, which is understandable but give me a break, its not like its the first catchweights match ever made. Worse fighters than Diego have overcome greater odds. If they wanted to complain then they shouldnt have accepted the fight after the weigh in. They did, they lost, and they have to deal with it.

[ShawnTheBleeder]

Maybe I've been overlooking the articles, but is Corrales' camp complaining? They knew what they were in for, and Corrales was mum in the ring.

Oh, Pete, don't mention sledgehammers. I'm still in shock over what happened to Ric Flair last week. (for fellow wrestling fans- Flair was brutally beaten by Triple H, his best friend, witha sledgehammer. And you thought your friends sucked.)
Shawn

[DscribeDC]

Flair can't need the money this badly. The way WWE has been using him since his retirement from the ring. There's got to be an easier scam out there; maybe he can manage Castillo.

[GorDoom]

Crowns still weighty matter for Corrales

By Chuck Johnson, USA TODAY

Making weight is a fundamental part of making the grade as a prizefighter. In that regard, Diego "Chico" Corrales remains a proud world lightweight champion despite his fourth-round knockout loss Saturday against Jose Luis Castillo.
Corrales retained his WBC, WBO and Ring Magazine titles after agreeing to fight Castillo at 147 pounds. The decision was prompted by Castillo's failure to make weight, coming in 3½ pounds over the 135-pound lightweight limit at last Friday's official weigh-in.

"I respect the game, and they knew I wouldn't let it be battered or bruised by a big card just being canceled," Corrales said. "I could have said, 'I'm not going to fight,' but I had an obligation to the fans."

Joe Goossen, Corrales' trainer, says 3½ pounds might not sound like a lot but is a big difference for a finely tuned fighter. "If we would have been allotted 3½ extra pounds, we would have eaten more than slices of sushi at maybe 8 at night," Goossen said.

"That was the whole meal for the last three days. You are cutting out almost all of your liquids. On top of all of that, while you are starving and not drinking, you are also training to get that weight down with heavy clothing on in a gym with the heat on. So it is a pretty grueling thing. These guys do not walk around at 140-150. They walk around at 160. It is the last 3-4 pounds that really cuts to the bone. But that is the way it has always been done and is the truth of a fighter's courage, discipline and work ethic."

By fight time, Castillo's weight was 147, and Corrales' unofficially was 149. It's common for fighters to pack on pounds after the weigh-in, which used to be held the day of the fight instead of the day before.

"The way it is now, you can starve yourself for three days and not eat and then the day before the fight you can just start gorging," Goossen said. "That is dangerous for the body and for smaller guys in the same division that do not put on the same type of weight."

A third fight between Corrales and Castillo is planned for early next year. Corrales won the first fight, considered one of the greatest in history, by getting up from two knockdowns to stop Castillo for a dramatic 10th-round TKO. Goossen is adamant the rubber match should take place only at 135 pounds.

"Even though Diego still is champion, I want to fight Castillo at 135 to decide who the real lightweight champion is," he said.

[PeteLeo]

Awww, let's all join hands and sing a heartfelt round of "Kumbaya" for poor, victimized little Diego (he did it for the fans, not the money . . .). Remember, he only got one opportunity to spit the bit in this last match, something a rubber ball such as he isn't used to.

By the way, how old is Ric Flair now, about a hundred and eighteen? I don't even follow rasslin', and I remember hearing about him when I was a kid -- or a lot younger, anyhow. PeteLeo.

[ShawnTheBleeder]

I gotta admit, I would have pissed if they'd announced the day of that the fight was off. Sure, it would have been legit, but Diego's right... he owed me.
Shawn
PS... Flair is 56, and is the WWE Intercontinental Title. In wrestling that's the equivilent of Evander Holyfield becoming undisputed champion again.

[apollack]

I know Corrales can throw straight punches and move, so why the hell doesn't he? If he doesn't in the 3rd fight, he'll just be ko'd again. I don't see how a guy about 6 feet tall at lightweight can't take a step to the side and jab. Ridiculous.

[kikibalt]

i think maybe he needs a new trainer, or is it to late for that?

Frank B.

[diggity1]

Corrales is great inside fighter for his size, but IMO they are playing a game of macho with a guy too big for them to piss with...but quite honestly the alternative is not any better, if at all. If Corrales choses to step away from Castillo & box, he will be in an even more dangerous distance from Castillo to get that extra step on his left hook. Corrales has not really fought many perfect fights when he has been asked to rely on the jab. The risk versus reward may not be as great on an outside fight as one would think. Goosen may be electing to chose the lesser of 2 evils.

I think he has to be smarter & mix up the 2 styles at this point. He is way to predictable for Castillo right now.

[apollack]

Good points.

[Chuck1052]

Does anyone know what the PPV figures were for
the second bout between Jose Luis Castillo and
Diego Corrales. The live attendance for the bout
was about 16,000, which is terrific.

- Chuck Johnston

[TKO Tom]

They were hoping for about 350,000 buys which would have meant $15,732,500 in PPV revenue.

I think they got about 250,000 which is $11,237,500, or about $4.5 million less than projections. Quite a significant number when you think about it.

<img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/pimp.gif" />

[DscribeDC]

I'm assuming if Corrales called off the fight due to Burrito's paunch, neither fighter would have gotten paid.

Anyone familiar with the boxing biz know what the fallout would have been if Corrales had opted not to climb into the ring with JL?

[PeteLeo]

Ask Michael Spinks. PeteLeo.

[Chuck1052]

In regards to the PPV card featuring Jose Luis
Castillo and Diego Corrales in their second bout,
I read that Corrales was suppose to get two
million dollars and Castillo, 1.2 million (before
being fined). In other words, I would think that
the said card had a chance to make money even
with relatively modest PPV "buys."

I was amazed that the third bout between
Antonio Tarver and Roy Jones Jr. drew about
400,000 PPV buys. The reason is that the Latino
market is so important in boxing in the U.S., but
Tarver-Jones III bout still drew well.

- Chuck Johnston

-

[DscribeDC]

Yeah, but the question I'm asking is, would either of them have gotten anything if the fight was called off due to a fighter not making weight? I assume the money is not guaranteed and they both get bupkus. Is this standard in the business?

[PeteLeo]

Are you implying that St. Diego was willing to risk his very health and well-being by fighting a Mexican devil who missed the weight by all of two pounds for something a venal as -- ugghh! -- money? I'm shocked and replused! (And legally psychotic, according to some sources, but that's neither here nor there . . . .)

I thought he did it just for the fans!

(Okay, I know I'm being a bitch, but it's fun for awhile, and I bask yet in the "Corrales Flop.") PeteLeo.

[DscribeDC]

Pete, I'm seriously trying to get to the bottom of this thing in an impartial manner. If I was trying to be a bitch, I might wonder how much El Burrito bribed some valet parker or concierge to sneak him a Big Buford or a supersize fries in the sauna so he could come back to the scale heavier than he left it, but am I doing that?

No sir.

I am taking the high road, trying to objectively determine the motivations of the fighters. I mean, I take it as a given that Castillo would not have asked Dr. Feelgood to scuff up his penny loafers under the casino scale unless he was serious about stepping through the ropes and mixing it up Aztec warrior-style.

So let's put an end to this bitchery, I say. After all, we have the honor of the sport to consider!

[PeteLeo]

After all, didn't Diego look so purty with his face smushed into the canvas and his ass standing so proud and tall?

Favorite lip-reader's interpretation of what Corrales was asking after having his brain knocked sideways within his skull: "You mean I didn't spit the mouthpiece this time?"

PeteLeo.

[Dogman Tony]

For a guy who's remarked on political correctness now and then, DeScribe, I know a couple of folks who're getting a little salty about you calling a Mexican fighter, El Burrito.

[DscribeDC]

Okay, Big Mac, then...

[DscribeDC]

No offense intended to our Latin brethren or any other honorable Latin fighters. My derision is solely intended toward one guy who ate himself out of a division, conned a commission and gave himself an unfair advantage in a fight. My apologies if anyone believes a broader or more general slight was intended. Thanks for calling me on that one, Dogman.