Boxing Result: Joel Casamayor – Diego Corrales 3

Joel Casamayor used his speed and crafty southpaw boxing skills to take a split decision victory and capture the WBC Lightweight title from Diego Corrales tonight at The Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. In actuality, Corrales had relinquished the title the day before on the scales as he was unable to make the 135 Lb lightweight limit, coming in at 139 pounds.

Only Casamayor was eligible to obtain the title, and he effectively worked up and down on Corrales in the eyes of two judges who scored the bout 116-111 and 115-112. The third judge, somewhat surprisingly, had Corrales winning at 114-113.

The victory also gives Casamayor the edge over Corrales in their trilogy, as the two had previously split two close bouts. The two championship level fighters are clearly in the latter stages of their careers, and one had to wonder about the sharpness of Corrales who struggled all week to make weight, and was left fighting only for pride.

Both fighters started tentatively in the opening rounds, particularly Corrales, who watched the 1992 Cuban Olympic Gold medalist Casamayor score consistently with a straight left to the body to sweep the first three rounds on the judges scorecards.

Corrales scored a very questionable knockdown in round five as Casamayor appeared to trip on his opponents foot and went down to a knee with a cuffing shot to the back of the head from Corrales.

Casamayor took back control of the fight in round six, letting his hands go a bit more and landing some combinations as opposed to the single shots both fighters were throwing.

Corrales had his moments and upped the pressure from time to time, often stalking the Cuban southpaw, and landing an occasional single solid punch.

Casamayor, with his prolific amateur and Olympic background, knows the squared circle all too well, and was able to use his movement and counterpunching to escape from danger during the few times Corrales gained any momentum.

In the main undercard fight for the Showtime televised event, challenger Glenn Donaire had no answer for the power and persistence of IBF/IBO Flyweight Champion Vic Darchinyan, who administered a beating until Donaire turned his back at 1:27 of the sixth round.

Referee Tony Weeks ruled an accidental head butt to Donaire’s jaw was responsible for the fight being stopped after the ringside doctor examined the Filipino fighter.

Hardly any ringside observers witnessed a headbutt, however Donaire did complain about an elbow in the fourth round, which probably didn’t do the near the damage of all the hard left
hand’s landed by Australia’s Raging Bull, Vic Darchinyan.

Unusually strong for 112 pounds, Darchinyan has knocked out an amazing twenty-one opponents in twenty-seven victories against no defeats. Donaire would have been the 22nd knockout victim if not for the phantom headbutt.