In the sport of boxing people tend to speak with great emotion and often have varying viewpoints on the topics at hand. Fans, writers, fighters, and everyone else in the sport seems to be in a constant battle of differing opinions. People love to debate over fighters, match-ups, and what the future will hold in the sport and this past year was no different. A lot of drama went down in 2005 but if there was one constant that people seem to agree on, it would be the fact that this year’s best fight was the first pairing between Diego ‘Chico’ Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo.
Corrales and Castillo went to hell and back for ten heated rounds with Corrales coming out on top via TKO after getting off the canvas twice in the 10th. It was a fight filled with punishing assaults by both men and the ebb and flow seemed to never stop. It was at times breathtaking and the two men are forever linked together because of it. They would meet again five months later with Castillo turning the tables and scoring a 4th round knockout. The win evened the score for Jose but it wasn’t without controversy as he had failed to make the Lightweight limit, calling into question whether or not he had been given an unfair advantage by not having to shed an additional three and a half pounds.
Always one looking to leave no doubt, Diego Corrales has accepted a third fight with his arch-rival to settle the score and the two will square off again this coming February 4th in El Paso, Texas on Showtime. Corrales seems to once again be putting all of his chips on the table and the Sacramento native wouldn’t have it any other way.
I was able to catch up with Diego to get his thoughts on the rubber-match with Castillo, his motivation for the game, his relationship with his trainer Joe Goossen, and what we can all expect February 4th.
The whole world is ready…
‘I feel good and I’m happy about my upcoming third fight with Castillo. I think it’s the fight that everyone wants to see; I think the whole world is ready for this one. I’ve been in training camp for over three weeks now. We’re training out in L.A. and we’re going to be ready. Everybody should be sure to watch because it’s going to be another great fight.
A tainted win…
‘In my eyes there was no loss suffered against Castillo. Plain and simple it was a big game that they played by coming in heavy. Everyone knows I’m the best thing going at Lightweight and he has to beat me at that weight to truly claim victory. He fought great as a welterweight, but the fight was meant to take place at Lightweight. I feel Castillo’s win is tainted and irrelevant because of what he did. It’s a disgrace to the sport and unprofessional as well.
Going after the legacy…
‘Right now my job is to go after my legacy and go after my dreams. I want to get everything I can out of boxing and I don’t really care about being in hard fights all of the time. It doesn’t bother me and I will continue to challenge myself by taking on all the hard fights out there.
The past year…
‘This past year had been awesome for me, period. I’ve had a great, great time and I’ve had a lot of success at my job. I’m happy with how things have went. Everything that I’ve gone out there and done I knew I could do. I just had to show the rest of the world what I was capable of.
Respect…
‘Castillo and I still have respect for one another. It’s still there but of course you tend to lose a little bit of admiration for each other after knowing how things went down. I was upset with Castillo for the fact that he didn’t do his job as a professional the last time out, but have I lost respect for him? No, I haven’t.
Gladiator world…
‘I love the fact that I am in the gladiator world. That’s my big thing. I love it. I love the feeling of being a gladiator and going out there and fighting my fight. It’s awesome and I love it.
Motivation…
‘My family keeps me motivated. I love my wife and I love my kids. Without them I wouldn’t be half the person I am today. It’s definitely my family that keeps me moving and keeps me pushing. They keep me there and keep me strong.
Joe Goossen…
‘I have a great relationship with Joe Goossen. He’s like a member of my family and a lot of what I do is with him. During a fight Joe is very calm and very relaxed. He doesn’t tend to push you too hard or wear you out when it’s unnecessary.
The fans…
‘My fans have been very important to me. It’s always nice to know that you have people you can prove yourself to and people who will always be there for you. The fans are perfect.
The third meeting between Diego ‘Chico’ Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo takes place February 4th at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. Showtime will televise the bout with things starting at 9 PM/ET.
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2005
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INTERVIEW By Chris Robinson (December 28, 2005)
