Exclusive Interview: Diego \”Chico\” Corrales.

“Everyone said I had the wrong strategy going into the fight and I beat him. He (Castillo) believes that I am not ready to fight that type of fight for a second time. What better way to prove it, then to do it again? I am a gladiator. Bob (Arum) and Castillo can say whatever they want. I believe it’s Castillo’s team doing it and not Jose Luis. A mouthpiece didn’t hit Castillo, I did. We in the Pain Business, Come October 8, there is going to be more Pain! “–Diego Corrales will not back down from another war with Castillo.

May 7th, 2005 was truly a historic night for our great sport. What we saw that night we may never see again, unless if there is a rematch of course. Ladies and Gentlemen have no fear the rematch is signed, sealed and delivered. Diego “Chico” Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo, the two best lightweights in the word are scheduled

to do it one more time. I guess you could say that Santa Claus is coming a little early this year. This surely is one heck of a treat, regardless if you have been good or bad. Tune in for this exclusive interview you will not see or hear anywhere else besides SaddoBoxing.com. Check out what “Chico” had to say about his health, his thoughts on his instant classic with Castillo, and his plans for the rematch in October as well as much, much more. No one brings you more up close and personal interviews with your favorite fighters than SaddoBoxing.com, the only place to be for boxing.

Do not miss this essential interview with the world’s number one lightweight fighter: Diego “Chico” Corrales.

SaddoBoxing: Diego, in a fight in which you described as a “War of Attrition,” considering the amount of punishment you absorbed, do you feel that your body has had sufficient time to heal properly?

Diego Corrales: Yeah. Yeah I do. I feel fine. I am a young fighter; I am only twenty-seven-years-old so I can recover a lot better and faster than someone say who is thirty-one or thirty-two. Also, keep in mind that for two years I was out of the loop. I wasn’t in the gym or fighting. So that’s two free years of wear and tear on my body. A lot of people forget that, but I am young fighter with a lot of fighting left and I feel great.

SB: A lot of the “so-called” experts feel that in a fight of such intense capacity neither fighter will be the same. A) Do you feel that this is true? And B) How does it make you feel to hear people say this?

DC: I mean people are going to say what they say. It doesn’t bother me at all. Not one bit. Again, it goes back to the age factor, I am turning twenty-eight at the end of this month and my body has had two years off, which has worked wonders for me. You know the bottom-line is we will see on October 8. I am just excited to be able to do it one more time for my fans and to prove the skeptics wrong again. They said I had the wrong game plan coming into the fight and I came out with the “W.” So we will see on the eighth of October

SB: As far as Jose Luis Castillo is concerned, we all know about the fight with Casamayor, we know about the fight with Julio Diaz and then there was the instant classic with you. That is three consecutive tough fights within a short time period. Do you still feel that Castillo is the same fighter that fought you May 7?

DC: I do. I mean he showed up and fought me in way that no one ever has. He showed the world an unbelievable way to fight me. Jose is a great champion, and a really tough guy. I don’t want to speak for him, so I cant really tell you if he has recovered or not. But if anybody can, Jose is your man to do it. One thing is for sure though, I can guarantee you that he is coming to fight.

SB: Many felt that you could have made the fight a lot easier if you had just boxed more. How much of a role did your legacy play in determining your strategy?

DC: This was a fight that I had wanted for myself. What you saw that night was my input with the help of Joe (Goossen). I wanted to show the world that I can hang in there with some of the best this business has to offer. A lot of people thought that I couldn’t do it, but the end result was a great fight. What more can I say?

SB: Why did you feel that you had to engage in such an epic battle of mythic proportion, in order for you to be considered in the upper echelon of boxing?

DC: I mean the facts speak for themselves. Going into this fight, I wasn’t even thinking about being considered in the upper echelon of boxing. But I guess when you go against the grain and do something out of the ordinary, people admire it. And I appreciate it. I am just glad that we were able to give the fans a great fight.

SB: With all the rumors circulating about your future plans, I can tell you that we in the press heard it all. From a unification bout with Juan Diaz, to possibly moving up to 140-pounds and fighting either Miguel Cotto or Ricky Hatton. From a financial standpoint, all these fights make sense. Why opt for an immediate rematch?

DC: Up to now, Castillo has proven to be my biggest rival. He fought an unbelievable fight. He showed up and fought me in way that no one ever has. I admire his courage and tenacity. Although there were other options available to me, I am making sure that he gets his shot before I move on. There is no question, he deserves another shot.

SB: Were any of the fights that I had mentioned close to materializing? If so what happened to prevent them from coming to fruition?

DC: Again, they were all options that were laid out on the table and we all spoke about it. I would be lying to you if I told you I knew how close they were to materializing. You have to ask James and Gary that question. I just fight and I am game to fight anybody, it doesn’t matter. I may be wrong but what I think prevented these fights from happening was the public’s vast demand of seeing us go at it again. (Laughing)

SB: “Chico” I have to admit, I have seen the fight about twenty times and counting. It surely was the greatest fight I have ever seen in my eighteen years of following this great sport. In studying the tape, I saw that Castillo found a home for his right uppercut on the inside. How do you plan to counter against this the second time around?

DC: (Laughing….and more laughing). It was great fight I know. It amazes me every time I see it. But “Boss” I can’t I answer that question man. (Laughing) You are really putting me on the spot bro. Yes, indeed he did find a home for that right uppercut. But rest assured there is a remedy for that. Castillo made very little mistakes in the fight. The only person that made mistakes in that ring was me. You can trust that Joe and I went back to the drawing board. Because I couldn’t answer the question doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good question. It was an excellent question (More laughing).

SB: Diego, when you threw in combinations you were extremely effective. “Chico” the hand-speed was sick! Can we expect to see you set the tone early by utilizing your hand-speed?

DC: You will see me make my presence felt by simply taking the fight to Castillo again. Ever since I was a kid, I always threw in combinations. It is a part of my arsenal. When I was a little kid my father would always tell me, “throw punches in bunches, throw punches in bunches!” So I would and I perfected it. Whenever I fought, I always threw my punches in combinations. I let my hands go like “machine gun rapidfire.” (Laughing).

SB: In what was a “battle of the left hooks,” it was a straight right hand that became the beginning of Castillo’s ending. What have you done differently in training to make your right-hand more effective?

DC: (Laughing). Boy you really have studied this tape. It sure was a right hand that started it all. As far as making my right hand more effective, it’s always been effective. I pack sufficient dynamite in both hands in where I am confident that I can knock anybody out with either hand. I don’t favor one hand over the other. People forget that I have a right; everyone fell in love with the left hook, but I pack steam in both hands. Either I will pick my shots or throw them in combinations. Yeah I feel good with both.

SB: You have alluded to the fact that you are going to come out in this fight as if it were the eleventh round. “Chico” you are the WBC/WBO lightweight champion; the pressure should be on him. He has to beat you. Don’t you feel that this sign of desperation might play into Castillo’s hands in someway?

DC: Not at all. Absolutely not, it’s the same thing as before. Everyone said I had the wrong strategy going into the fight and I beat him. He (Castillo) believes that I am not ready to fight a that type of fight for a second time. What better way to prove it, then to do it again!?

SB: Jose Luis Castillo committed several fouls throughout the fight. Not once did you or your team complain. You had Jose hurt at the end of the fourth round, but referee Tony Weeks called for time because your mouthpiece fell out. At this juncture, Mr. Arum never complained. How much does it irritate you to hear Jose and the rest of the Top Rank family make a fuss about the mouthpiece controversy that occurred in the tenth round?

DC: It doesn’t bother me. It is what it is. Whatever! If you look at the tape, well I know you have (laughing), you will see I got hit with several low blows. I said all right, and I figured I’d be a man about it. I didn’t think there was anything to gain by complaining; I am a gladiator. Bob (Arum) and Castillo can say whatever they want. I believe it’s Castillo’s team doing it and not Jose Luis. A mouthpiece didn’t hit Castillo, I did.

SB: Diego is there anything you would like to say in closing?

DC: Yes of course. I would like to thank all of my fans. Someone had asked me before if my fans annoyed me? Not at all, I love all of my fans. They are great, I try to hang out as much as possible or when I can with my fans. I wish I could do it more often. If it wasn’t for them I’d be fighting somewhere else for free. Oh, before we close out I can’t forget my man Antonio Leonard. I have to quote him, ” We in the Pain Business, Come October 8, there is going to be more Pain!”

On behalf of SaddoBoxing.com, we would like to thank Diego “Chico” Corrales for taking the time out of his training schedule and kicking it with us. We wish him all the best come October 8, as well as continued success. Also, I can’t forget My “Homies” Antonio Leonard and Mr. Jack. Gentlemen, from the very bottom of my heart I want to thank you for making all of this possible. Good looking out for the props!

Edwin Gonzalez can be reached at prpapa427@aol.com