Corrales rallies past Castillo
LAS VEGAS – Diego Corrales was in terrible trouble Saturday night. His left eye was closed and a left hook from Jose Luis Castillo had just put him on the canvas for the second time in the 10th round.
Referee Tony Weeks stood counting as Corrales rolled over on his hands and knees, spitting out his mouthpiece.
Corrales seemed to be debating whether to continue as he finally got to his feet just in time at the count of nine.
The brutal lightweight title fight had taken a lot out of both fighters. But now, all seemed lost as Corrales rose from the canvas.
Then, in one of the most amazing comebacks in title fight history, Corrales landed a series of punches as sudden as it was shocking, putting Castillo out on his feet against the ropes to win the lightweight title.
“I’ve waited for a long time to show my will and prove I’m a warrior,” said Corrales (40-2). “I knew I was going to get up.”
In a fight of remarkable ebb and flow, Corrales added the WBC 135-pound crown to the WBO title he brought into the ring with an improbable comeback.
The match ended at 2:06 of the 10th round when Weeks stepped between the fighters with Castillo (52-7-1) on the ropes and taking tremendous punishment to the head.
“Greatest fight I’ve ever seen,” Corrales’ trainer, Joe Goossen said.
The crowd of 5,168 at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino seemed to think so too, standing on their feet as the fighters considered the two best lightweights in the world met in a much anticipated matchup.
The fight promised to be a test of power and wills.
It didn’t disappoint, as the two went after each other from the opening bell with little regard for defense or safety.
“He’s one of the greatest fighters in the world, but so am I,” Castillo said.
Castillo was bleeding from an accidental head butt that opened up a big cut over his left eye while Corrales’ left eye was closed and his right eye swollen when the 10th round began.
By the time it ended, the two somehow managed to further elevate an already great fight with a round that will likely last long in boxing lore.
As Castillo moved in to finish off Corrales after the second knockdown – after Corrales got a precious few extra seconds to recover by spitting out his mouthpiece – Corrales suddenly landed a big left hook and followed it with a flurry of punches that pinned Castillo on the ropes.
Weeks finally stepped in between the fighters to protect Castillo.
“The ref gave him all kinds of chances and never gave me a chance,” Castillo said. “I was hurt. I’m not saying I wasn’t hurt, but I came back before in the fight.”
Weeks, though, said he had no choice.
“He got hit with some bombs,” Weeks said. “His eyes went back and he went limp.”