Diego Corrales

Diego Corrales
Statistics
Real name	Diego Corrales
Nickname(s)	Chico
Rated at	Lightweight Super Featherweight
Height	5′ 10½″ / 179cm
Reach	70″ / 178cm
Nationality	American
Born	(1977-08-25)August 25, 1977 Columbia, South Carolina
Died	May 7, 2007(2007-05-07) (Age 29) Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	45
Wins	40
Wins by KO	33
Losses	5

Diego "Chico" Corrales (August 25, 1977 – May 7, 2007) was an American boxer.

He was the WBC, WBO, & The Ring lightweight champion, and the WBO & IBF super featherweight champion.

In 2005, Corrales received the prestigious The Ring & Boxing Writers Association of America's Fight of the Year awards for his acclaimed lightweight bout with José Luis Castillo.

Early life

Corrales was born in Columbia, South Carolina to a Colombian father and a Mexican mother. Corrales' early life was filled with violence; he was raised in the Oak Park section of Sacramento, was involved with street gangs at age 13, and witnessed his best friend's death via drive-by shooting. Corrales had a degree in culinary arts. He trained at "Sac Pal" (Sacramento Police Athletic League) Boxing Gym.

Amateur career

Corrales compiled an amateur boxing record of 105-12. In 1994, he took second place at the United States Amateur Championships, losing to Frankie Carmona on points in the featherweight final. He was a bronze medalist at featherweight in the 1995 Pan American Games. At lightweight, he lost in the 1995 World Championships in Berlin, Germany to Marco Rudolph.

Professional career

Super Featherweight

Super Featherweight title

Corrales was victorious in his pro boxing debut on March 19, 1996. On October 23, 1999, Corrales won the IBF super featherweight title by defeating the previously unbeaten and Ring No. 3 ranked Super Featherweight Roberto Garcia via TKO in the seventh round. Corrales would go on to defend his title against future Featherweight champion and current Ring Top 10 Super Featherweight, Derrick Gainer. Corrlaes won the fight by TKO in the third round. After defeating Angel Manfredy on September 2, 2000, Corrales' managers vacated his title. Corrales had a record of 33-0 at this point, and was the #5 Pound-For-Pound fighter in the world, and the Ring No. 1 ranked Super Featherweight.

Corrales vs. Mayweather

On January 20, 2001, Corrales challenged Ring No. 2 ranked Super Featherweight and #7 Pound-For-Pound Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the WBC super featherweight title and recorded his first knockdown and first loss. In the bout, Mayweather knocked down Corrales five times (three times in the seventh round and twice in the tenth). After the fifth knockdown, Corrales' corner stopped the fight, despite Corrales' protests.

Shortly after the Mayweather fight, Corrales served 14 months in prison after opting for a plea bargain on charges he faced for abusing his pregnant wife, Maria.

Corrales vs. Casamayor I & II

In 2003, Corrales returned to the ring. After easily winning four fights, Corrales fought against Ring No. 1 ranked Super Featherweight Joel Casamayor. After the sixth round, the fight was stopped because of a deep cut inside of Corrales' mouth. On March 6, 2004, there was a rematch for the vacant WBO super featherweight title. Corrales won by close split decision.

Lightweight

Corrales vs. Freitas

On August 7, 2004, Corrales fought former two-time Super Featherweight champion and current WBO Lightweight champion, Acelino Freitas, who came into the bout unbeaten. Corrales won the fight, via TKO in the tenth round, making Corrales a two weight champion. Freitas won the early rounds, but by the later rounds he was visibly tired and began to be caught by Corrales. After rising from his third knockdown, Freitas walked away from the referee and quit.

Corrales vs. Castillo I

On May 7, 2005, Corrales defeated WBC and Ring Lightweight champion José Luis Castillo via TKO in the tenth round, giving Corrales his fourth title in 2 weight classes. The fight is almost universally regarded as the best fight of 2005. Both men stood in front of each other, battering each other with hard combinations and power punches throughout the entire fight. Finally, in the tenth round, Castillo knocked Corrales down. Seconds later, Castillo knocked Corrales down again. Once on the ground, Corrales managed to beat the count, and, after a point was taken away for excessive spitting out of the mouthpiece, Corrales connected with a punch that Castillo later called "a perfect right hand." Corrales then trapped Castillo against the ropes and landed numerous punches, causing the referee, Tony Weeks, to stop the fight.

Corrales vs. Castillo II

A rematch between Corrales and Castillo occurred on October 8, 2005. On the day before the fight, Castillo weighed-in 3½ lb over the 135 lb (61 kg) lightweight limit. Since Castillo did not make the weight, the fight became a non-title bout. The two fighters continued with the same fighting style that they had used in the first fight, trading inside punches throughout the first three rounds. Early in the fourth round, Castillo knocked down Corrales with a left hook to his chin. Corrales wobbled to his feet at the referee's count of ten, causing the fight to end.

Corrales vs. Castillo III, dubbed "The War to Settle the Score," had been scheduled for February 4, 2006, but it was postponed because of a rib injury that Corrales suffered while training. The fight was rescheduled for June 3, 2006. At the weigh-in, however, Corrales weighed the 135 lb (61 kg) lightweight limit whereas Castillo weighed 139½ lb—causing the fight to be cancelled. Corrales later sued Castillo for punitive damages.

Corrales vs. Casamayor III

Corrales was scheduled to defend his lightweight title in a third bout against Joel Casamayor on October 7, 2006. However, Corrales weighed in 5 pounds over the limit. He was given two hours to shed five pounds, but came back at 139 pounds. Corrales would have been stripped of the title if he had won the bout, but Casamayor defeated him by split decision for the WBC and The Ring lightweight titles.

On April 7, 2007, fighting in the welterweight division, Corrales lost a unanimous decision to Joshua Clottey. Corrales was dropped in rounds 9 and 10 and lost by the scores of 97-90, 98-89 and 100-87.

Death

On May 7, 2007, exactly two years to the day after his first fight with Castillo, Corrales was killed in a three-vehicle accident near his Las Vegas home. Corrales was riding a 2007 Suzuki GSXR 1000 motorcycle, traveling northbound on Fort Apache Road in the southwest part of the Las Vegas Valley, Corrales attempted to pass another vehicle at high speed, but Corrales struck the back of the car and was immediately knocked off his bike and hit the ground. An ambulance was called by the witnesses at the scene, Corrales was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Las Vegas police spokesman Sgt. Tracy McDonald said: "The accident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m. PDT." McDonald said there was no outward evidence of drugs or alcohol involved. He could not say how fast the motorcycle was traveling. Corrales blood alcohol content was 0.25 at the time of the crash, approximately 3 times the legal limit for Nevada.

Professional boxing record

40 Wins (33 knockouts, 7 decisions), 5 Losses (3 by knockout, 2 by decision), 0 Draws
Res.	Record	Opponent	Type	Rd	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	40-5	Joshua Clottey	UD	10	2007-04-07	The Shrine Mosque, Springfield, Missouri
Loss	40-4	Joel Casamayor	SD	12	2006-10-07	Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada	Lost WBC & The Ring Lightweight titles.
Loss	40-3	José Luis Castillo	KO	4 (12), 0:47	2005-10-08	Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada	Stripped of the WBC Lightweight title for failing to make weigh-in.
Win	40-2	José Luis Castillo	TKO	10 (12), 2:06	2005-05-07	Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada	Retained WBO and won WBC & The Ring Lightweight titles. The Ring magazine's "Fight of the Year" (2005)
Win	39-2	Acelino Freitas	TKO	10 (12), 1:24	2004-08-07	Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, Connecticut	Won WBO Lightweight title.
Win	38-2	Joel Casamayor	SD	12	2004-03-06	Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, Connecticut	Won vacant WBO Super Featherweight title.
Loss	37-2	Joel Casamayor	TKO	6 (12), 3:00	2003-10-04	Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Win	37-1	Damian Fuller	KO	3 (10), 0:48	2003-06-20	The Home Depot Center, Carson, California
Win	36-1	Felix St Kitts	TKO	3 (10), 1:36	2003-04-24	Grand Casino, Gulfport, Mississippi
Win	35-1	Roque Cassiani	RTD	1 (10), 3:00	2003-02-22	Pyramid Arena, Memphis, Tennessee
Win	34-1	Michael Davis	TKO	5 (8)	2003-01-25	Bally's Park Place, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Loss	33-1	Floyd Mayweather, Jr.	TKO	10 (12), 2:19	2001-01-20	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada	For WBC Super Featherweight title.
Win	33-0	Angel Manfredy	TKO	3 (12), 2:38	2000-09-02	Don Haskins Center, El Paso, Texas	Retained IBF Super Featherweight title.
Win	32-0	Justin Juuko	KO	10 (12), 2:35	2000-06-17	Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Win	31-0	Derrick Gainer	TKO	3 (12), 1:50	2000-03-18	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada	Retained IBF Super Featherweight title.
Win	30-0	John Brown	UD	12	1999-12-04	Chinook Winds Casino, Lincoln City, Oregon	Retained IBF Super Featherweight title.
Win	29-0	Roberto Garcia	TKO	7 (12), 0:48	1999-10-23	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada	Won IBF Super Featherweight title.
Win	28-0	Angel Aldama	TKO	4 (12)	1999-06-12	Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California
Win	27-0	Claudio Victor Martinet	TKO	5 (10), 2:06	1999-04-02	Chattanooga Convention Center, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Win	26-0	Gairy St. Clair	UD	12	1998-12-18	Yosemite Hall, Sacramento, California
Win	25-0	Hector Arroyo	TKO	5 (10), 1:01	1998-11-20	The Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada

External links

• Professional boxing record for Diego Corrales from BoxRec
• The rises and falls of Diego Corrales by Jason Probst, 17 April 2003, Sacramento News & Review.
• Diego Corrales's FindAGrave Site
• Diego Corrales Fight-by-Fight Career Record
• FightFan.com: Exclusive AUDIO Interview with 'Chico' by Ace Freeman,
• A brothers love by Esteban "Steve" Corrales

Mar 2007

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Roberto Garcia	IBF Super Featherweight Champion October 23, 1999 – September 2, 2000 Vacated	Vacant Title next held by Steve Forbes
Vacant Title last held by Acelino Freitas	WBO Super Featherweight Champion March 6, 2004	Vacant Title next held by Mike Anchondo
Preceded by Acelino Freitas	WBO Lightweight Champion August 7, 2004 – 2006 Stripped	Vacant Title next held by Acelino Freitas
Preceded by José Luis Castillo	WBC Lightweight Champion May 7, 2005 – October 8, 2006	Succeeded by Joel Casamayor
	The Ring Lightweight Champion May 7, 2005 – October 8, 2006