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05/23/2006 Archived Entry: "'Only the Brave': Corrales vs. Castillo III"
'Only the Brave': Corrales vs. Castillo III
By Gary Todd
Courtesy of the Boxing Press
LAS VEGAS, June 3, 2006 - This is one of those fights, you get excited about, just by looking back in your minds eye, and remembering how savage, an affair it was. Two brave warriors , who entertained us with their fists of steel, and chins of granite, throwing everything they had in the ring, to win our hearts forever.
In what will be, another great night of boxing for the fans around the world, Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo will go to war, one last time, in a fight that should settle the score. In their first encounter, Corrales and Castillo was an evenly matched slugfest that will go down in the history of boxing , as one of the greatest fights ever fought, with both fighters, showing brilliant brutality, making the fight, the toughest , most grueling half hour of boxing, since, lets say, Ali v Frazier, Zale v Graziano, Hagler v Hearns, Ward v Gatti, and Morales v Barrera.
Less than six months later, the two warriors signed to do it all again, with Castillo failing to make the weight on the scales, not to mention, his trainer trying to tamper with the scales while “El Temible” was standing on them. Was it a tactic? Did Castillo ever intend on making the 135 limit? Did he want victory so badly that he would fight stronger and heavier, while risking everything, in doing so ? Castillo insists that he was hurt and lost 12 days in his training camp, due to an injury.
While Castillo ate and drank, Corrales starved himself so much up to the weigh in period , that straight after making the weight, he stuffed a huge sandwich, desperately into his drained body, but the fight went ahead, as it was Vegas, and the show must go on. Come fight night, Castillo was stronger, throwing more controlled punch combinations, while targeting Corrales’s tall lanky body, and finishing everytime, with his superb left hooks to “Chico’s” always willing head.
Castillo eventually bombed out Corrales in the fourth round, with a punch perfect, left hook , to win convincingly, albeit, controvercially. You could say this was payback for the first fight’s controvercial ending, with Castillo knocking Corrales down for the second time in the 10th round, and Corrales spitting his gum shield out, while in serious trouble on the canvas, thus gaining him valuable recouperation time, he so badly needed. Castillo had him down and out…well nearly, before punching himself out to lose the fight in dramatic, unbelievable fashion.
If we are to be honest, Castillo should have won the fight, and Corrales should have been counted out and stopped, and deep down, Castillo knew he won that night, and in the rematch, he was taking no prisoners, or chances. He had to win. In this their final fight, both warriors will be out to prove who is the best at 135, and both will make the weight. Corrales has not fought since the Castillo knockout, which was eight months ago, and this has given him a tremendous rest period, which should , hopefully see him at his best . In that period, he has recovered from a rib injury, and enjoyed himself, with his family.
Castillo has fought only once, fighting Rolando Reyes in a twelve round non event in February, while waiting for Corrales. One thing is guaranteed, both will be at their brilliant best and who knows, could it be even better than the first fight?
STRENGTHS / CORRALES
- Big puncher with either hand.
- Boxes well from outside [ when he chooses to do so.]
- Toughness and heart.
- Experience in big fights
- Confidence, and never say die attitude.
WEAKNESSES / CORRALES.
- Punch resistance may be questionable.
- How much does he have left?
- Leaves himself open too much, to get his own shots off.
- Too tough for his own good.
- Has a tendancy to hit the canvas.
- Marks up badly around his eyes.
- Making the weight.
STRENGTHS / CASTILLO.
- Good, controlled punch combinations.
- Great chin.
- Strong, and always in top shape.
- Experience.
- Wears his opponents down then finishes well.
WEAKNESSES / CASTILLO.
- Cuts have plagued him over the years
- Been in a lot of hard grueling fights.
- Long career.
- Making the 135 limit
My Prediction.
I see the fight going the same as the first fight. Both will be on the weight, and both will be out to prove a point. Castillo will want to make his mark at lightweight, by stopping Corrales, before moving up to super lightweight, to face Miguel Cotto, for his title in November. Corrales will start by boxing at long range, but he will be drawn into a battle of attrition by Castillo. I see Castillo stopping Corrales , breaking him down with his controlled combinations on the inside, scoring big with uppercuts and finishing with a left hook. Castillo TKO in the 8th round.
Gary Todd is an international author, with his book on world champions, “Workouts From Boxings Greatest Champs”, and he has been involved in all aspects of the sport of boxing for over 25 years.
