 It's Mexican vs. Mexican-American II
By David A. Avila (October 6, 2005) Photo © Rick Guzman, HoganPhotos.com
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As Diego Corrales walks through the arena, a murmur spreads through the boxing crowd like fans performing the wave.
"It's Chico," said one fan upon spotting Corrales at a recent Las Vegas fight card.
Corrales (40-2, 33 KOs), the WBC and WBO lightweight champion, stands tall and proud of his Mexican and African-American lineage, and both ethnic groups gladly claim the world champion.
About a year ago, Jose Luis Castillo seriously blundered when he said Corrales has no Mexican blood and doesn't fight like one. He was proved wrong.
Castillo, 31, has reversed himself and now gives Corrales props. He also hopes he can reverse the outcome in the rematch on Saturday, October 8th at the Thomas and Mack Arena in Las Vegas. The fight is co-promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, Top Rank and Caesars Palace.
Mexicans are funny when it comes to claiming who's Mexican and who is not. It's happened over and over like a silly game between nursery school chums. But for first and second generation Mexicans, it's one of the few things they possess when they come to this country, the fighting bloodlines. They reserve Mexican status only for the warriors, not the fancy boxers.
"I respect Corrales as a great fighter, a magnificent fighter," said Castillo (52-7-1, 46 KOs), no slouch himself in the ring. "We could even be friendly rivals."
That statement was tantamount to giving an ancient headdress or shield to his nemesis. Warriors like Castillo rarely consider anyone their equal. But in this instance, the Sonora native acquiesced to Corrales's fighting spirit.
Make no mistake, Castillo is not getting soft. He comes from the Julio Cesar Chavez school of ‘take no prisoners’. But when a warrior like Castillo, who has met so many elite fighters in his career, finds an equal in the ring, he must honor that. Then he must obliterate him in the ring.
"He's the world champion right now. All I'm thinking about is getting the belt back and regaining my title," Castillo said.
In the fight where Castillo lost his title to Corrales in a see-saw battle of nuclear-powered blows, a mere 5,000 people witnessed in person the bout that many fans and experts are calling the best they've ever seen. It's hard to argue.
"You'd have to go back to Archie Moore and Yvon Durelle to find a fight as dramatic as that," said Derek Smith, a freelance boxing journalist in Los Angeles.
Looking at Corrales’ record, you find its common place for the Sacramento native to engage in Armageddon-like boxing matches with seemingly no winner.
Yet, he almost always emerges the victor.
"I like fighting toe-to-toe," said Corrales, 28. "I feel if we're both trading punches I'm going to come out on top."
Since that fight on May 7, that resulted in both fighters sustaining terrific punishment and Corrales hitting the deck twice before knocking out Castillo on his feet, the tall and lean fighter has gained even more fans.
"A lot of Mexican fans come up to me," said Corrales, still sporting some of the wounds of that fight five months ago. "They said they liked that I got knocked down and got up, came back and kept fighting. That was enough for Mexican fans."
Will this be another Moore-Durelle knockdown fest?
"I think so," Corrales said.
Fights coming up
Oct. 6, Thursday, in a junior bantamweight bout, Omar Salado (12-0-1) meets Julio Romero (20-18-1) at El Foro in Tijuana on a Guilty Promotions card. The first bout begins at 7 p.m. For ticket information call (631) 258-9905.
Oct. 7, Friday, at the Aladdin Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Kelly Pavlik meets Fulgencio Zuniga in a battle of hard-hitting middleweights. It should be an interesting test for both fighters. The first bout begins at 5:15 p.m. For ticket information call (702) 785-5555.
On Oct. 13, at the Ontario Convention Center, its Brazil night as a number of Brazilian fighters will be on the Thursday night fight card, including Kelson Pinto versus former world title-holder Vince "Cool" Phillips. For tickets or information call (866) 926-8499 or go to www.wantickets.com
On Oct. 15, Sergio Mora (16-0), the champion of the reality television program ‘The Contender’, will meet Peter Manfredo Jr. (24-2) again, this time at the Staples Center. Get your tickets now, they're running out. Also on the show will be Jesse Brinkley (25-3) in a rematch against Anthony Bonsante (26-6-3). Alfonso Gomez (13-3-1) was supposed to meet Jeff Fraza, but the east coast fighter was forced to cancel for health reasons. A source said that an opponent is being sought for Gomez. For tickets or more information
call (213) 742-7340.
On Oct. 17, at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Thompson Boxing Promotions will be putting on one of its sterling shows. The fight card has yet to be finalized. For more information call (714) 935-0900.
Carlos Bojorquez to meet Ike Quartey
Looks like Riverside's Carlos "El Elegante" Bojorquez will meet former world title-holder Ike "Bazooka" Quartey in a 10-round match on Dec. 3 in Las Vegas.
"I'll knock him out before seven," said Bojorquez by telephone. "I've been waiting for a fight like this."
The fight will take place on the undercard of the Jermain Taylor vs. Bernard Hopkins middleweight championship fight at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino.
Any Questions about James Toney?
After writing a piece on James "Lights Out" Toney, there were a lot of doubters who felt the heavyweight straw that stirs the drink was overrated. Not quite. Right now it seems the only person who can beat Toney, is Toney. As long as he can go 12 rounds, the former middleweight, super middleweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight (yes I still include that title) champion is like Sandy Koufax mowing down minor leaguers. It's just not fair. It's like Michael Jordan going one on one with Yinka Dare or John Coltrane battling Kenny G on sax. It's just not fair.
So who should Toney fight?
How about the winner between Vitali Klitschko and Hasim Rahman?
Fights on television
Fri. Telefutura, 9 p.m., Kelly Pavlik (26-0) vs. Fulgencio Zuniga (17-1-1).
Fri. Telemundo, 11:30 p.m., Daniel Reyes (34-3-1) vs. Valentin Leon (14-10).
Sat. Showtime pay-per-view, 6 p.m., Diego Corrales (40-2) vs. Jose Luis
Castillo (52-7-1); Jorge Arce (40-3-1) vs. Hussein Hussein (28-2).
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