The Big Debate: Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo.

This match-up oozes with “Fight of the Year” potential. Barely two months since his emphatic victory over Julio Diaz, Castillo braces for the defining fight of his career, personifying the fierce pride and work ethic that sets both he and Corrales apart from the pack.

Further to the accolades separating these two fighters from their peers are their less than circuitous routes to notoriety; paths involving approximately thirty fights in three years for Corrales at the outset of his journey, and while most hesitate to confront Floyd Mayweather Jr. even once, Castillo did so twice on one year and is widely understood to be the flamboyant fist-fighter’s toughest assignment. Knowledgeable as one may be about the statistics surrounding each fighter, they each possess such powerful but intangible qualities that will likely dominate the direction of the fight’s outcome. Nonetheless, I now attempt to do on the page what so many failed to do in the ring: become convinced of the possibility that Jose Luis Castillo is an inferior fighter. Castillo is a proud and grand Mexican champion, but that will not save him in this fight.

Read on as the debate continues with Jim Cawkwell arguing for Diego Corrales and Sergio Martinez rooting for Jose Luis Castillo.

A perceived weakness of Corrales is his punch resistance, highlighted by five knockdowns against a comparatively light-punching Floyd Mayweather and three more during two fights with talented Cuban southpaw Joel Casamayor. Take note that despite those knockdowns, Corrales always got up, ready to fight and to win. The stoppage losses inflicted upon Corrales’ record arrived as the result of corner and doctor stoppages respectively; Diego Corrales would stand and fight until rendered unable.

Stylistically, this fight represents a new problem for Corrales in comparison to the proposition posed to him by Brazil’s Acelino Freitas in his last fight. Freitas’ unorthodox and flighty performance saw him dancing around the ring before suddenly darting into range while Corrales maintained his stalking posture. The early rounds looked bad for Corrales in that fight, but he retained composure and control of his emotions, knowing that his time to act would arrive, and when it did, he pounced upon Freitas’ like a wounded animal and forced the previously unbeaten phenomenon into submission.

It is no secret that Castillo holds some contempt for fighting technical boxers employing finesse and variation of movement. Thankfully, he can rest assured that the only contempt he will feel for Corrales will be when he tastes the Californian’s spectacular punching power. If boxing were the order of the day, I would say that Corrales owns enough skill to adapt, but I doubt it will come to that. From beginning to end, these fighters will stand with each other to give and take the best that they have, and I predict that with Castillo’s tendency to cut, especially under the kind of firepower that Corrales possesses, we will see a stoppage on cuts around the tenth or eleventh round proclaiming Diego Corrales as the greatest lightweight fighter in the world.

Then bring on Erik Morales.

Over to you Sergio.

Ahhhhhhhh… Jimmy The Gent. You are always the gentleman. Well, you can lament all you’d like about how poor little Jose Luis Castillo has never faced a puncher like Corrales, as God knows that you are not the only one that is singing that tune. Many feel the same way, but I’m not one of them. You guys see the glass as half empty, but I’d like to turn that around. Diego has yet to face a fighter with as solid a chin as Castillo. Jose Luis has never, I repeat ever, been down in an amateur or professional prizefight (PERIOD). Hell, I can’t even remember a time when I have seen him hurt. Corrales is a vicious puncher, but what is to happen when the clean, flush, powerful shots that usually send his opponents into retreat, land and, guess what, Castillo keeps coming without missing a beat? That would rattle anyone’s cage, and “Chico” will be no exception. Also, a lot is made about Corrales’ height, and how his tall, slender body is able to carry more weight. Well, that tall, slender body is going to lead to his downfall. It is true that Diego rose from all of his past knockdowns, and was willing to continue to duke it out, but those trips to the canvas came through by punches to the head, not crippling liver shots, or rib cracking punches, which Jose Luis specializes in. It’s a little different to get up from those (Ask Oscar de la Hoya about that if you don’t believe me).

The possibility of the fight being stopped on the account of cuts is a realistic one, but “Chico” is also in danger of being cut due to concussive punches that Castillo lands himself. Let’s not forget that Castillo is also a hard puncher, and may be the hardest puncher Diego has ever faced himself. Freitas was a monster at 130-pounds, but, since his move up to 135-pounds, he has only scored one knockdown, and that was against an inferior opponent, in three fights. This one is going to be a “doozy” folks. There will be some serious exchanges, and awesome chin checking. Castillo will weather the early assault, beat “Chico’s” tall, slender body to a pulp, and stop him late. I’d say by the eleventh round of what should be a savagely beautiful fight. For all of us that have stuck by our sport through thick and thin, here is our reward. Enjoy this fight, as it is sure to be one for the ages.

Jim Cawkwell can be reached at jimcawkwell@yahoo.co.uk

Sergio Martinez can be reached at srg_mrtnz@yahoo.com