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Diego “Chico” Corrales 1977-2007: Forever A Champion
It was sometime in spring of 1997 when I watched a young undefeated kid from Sacramento, California take out his much more experienced opponent via second round TKO stoppage. The prize? Some minor title that doesn’t come to mind right now, but it mattered none to him what name was printed across the belt.
He was now a champion and he knew he already liked the way it felt. As far as he was concerned, it might as well been the Ring Belt and Pound for Pound title all wrapped into one. He knew there was a path of bigger and better things ahead. A path that not even he could of imagined.
All I could think about while listening to the introductions was “If a breeze comes along, this guy is going with it” and when the fight was over, all I thought was “if he can take a shot, there is trouble for the super featherweight division’s belt holders”. That trouble was about to come in the form of a 5’10 ½” 129lb brawler who went by the name “Chico”.
Over the next nine years, Corrales would step into the ring and claim four world titles in two different weight divisions, making a name for himself in the process as not only the man to beat in his perspective division but as a true warrior as well.
Opponent after opponent learned to respect the California slugger, some for his power and skill, others for his heart and never say quit attitude. It didn’t matter who they were, Corrales would fight them. Every big name in those divisions over the last seven years are on Diego’s resume. From Acelino Freitas to Floyd Mayweather Jr .
Whatever Corrales had to offer in the tank come fight night was used. The only reason you walked away disappointed from a Diego Corrales fight is because he lost. You were never left wanting more.
When Corrales stepped in the ring on May 7, 2005 against the feared KO puncher Jose Luis Castillo, he ended up solidifying his spot as not only this era’s but one of the sport’s most exciting fighters, period. Barely being able to see between two swollen shut eyes and near exhaustion, Corrales bounced back to claim not only the TKO victory during the tenth round but the WBC version of the lightweight title as well.
That bout has gone on in the eyes of many to be one of the top five to ever take place. It also may have been Corrales’ finest moment in his storied career.
Over the years, I met Diego on about a half dozen occasions. Be it at fight cards, press conferences or during interviews. I would always walk away amazed by the same thing; how could a guy who was so quiet, polite and soft spoken outside the ring become so brutal inside of it?
One time, I was trying to contact Diego for an interview but I had started to become discouraged. After leaving several messages, I pretty much gave up due to the fact that his fight was only a few days away. I figured by now he had probably cut himself off from the media except for press conferences.
Later that afternoon, my phone rings. When I asked who was calling on the other end I hear a cheerful “It’s Diego Corrales returning your call” in his low pitched tone. After turning up the volume on the receiver so I could hear him, we conducted our interview.
During the conversation, his spirits were high and his mood cheerful. He even thanked me for my time when we were done. I surprised at how one of the worlds most known fighters was still so humble.
A few days later, that soft spoken guy on the other end went 12 rounds with Joel Casamayor. It was like he had some hidden switch inside that was turned on in the dressing room moments before his bouts, a switch that turned him from the well mannered gentleman outside the ring into the warrior who thrilled fans inside with just one flip.
When I woke up this past Tuesday morning, I did my usual routine; grab some coffee and check my e-mail. After logging on, I noticed there was double my usual amount of mail. So when I opened the mailbox, I was half expecting some sort of spam. As I looked at the subject of the first e-mail in my account, the bold letters stood out. “Diego Corrales dies at 29!”. It took me reading it three times before it finally sank in.
As a fan, I was saddened by losing one of the sport’s bravest fighters of the decade. As a writer, I felt saddened because I knew this article would be the last for me to ever write about Chico. I feel no matter what I say about him, my words won’t due justice to his career.
Most of all, I am saddened for the fact that we lost a champion in and out of the ring long before his time. My condolences go to his family and I wish them the best in the future.
To show our respects and appreciation for all the great moments Diego provided the sport throughout the years, staff members at SaddoBoxing would like to provide some of their most memorable moments of Chico’s storied career and condolences to his family.
Lee Bellfield: I was shocked when I heard of the unexpected passing of former two weight world champion Diego Corrales.
It’s hard to put into words what a fighter really means until he passes. As a fighter, he was one of the most tenacious and exciting I’ve ever seen; willing to fight anyone, win or lose.
The fight that he will be best be remembered for was his first bout against Jose Luis Castillo in May 2005 when, in a give and take war, he rallied from the jaws of certain defeat to KO Castillo in the tenth. That’s how his fans will remember him. A never give in attitude.
On a personal note, although I’d never had the pleasure of meeting him, he seemed like a hell of a guy and a class act. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.
R.I.P Chico.
James MacDonald: I remember the first time I witnessed Diego Corrales in action. He came belatedly to my attention in his infamously one-sided affair with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Not his finest hour, I’ll grant you; nonetheless, I was understandably unimpressed with what I had seen. First impressions can be horribly misleading, wouldn’t you say?
Everything, from the look, the performance and, as I saw it at the time, the woefully contrived “Chico” moniker left me fraught with skepticism. I saw him as a gimmick. I regret to say that this ridiculously warped notion was not dispelled until his legendary war of attrition with Jose Luis Castillo. I could scarcely retrieve my jaw from the floor for the duration of the fight. How wrong can one man be?
All the attributes Diego had preached, all his supposed virtues that I had scoffed at, there they were, encapsulated in a single fight: power, heart, chin, endurance, and sportsmanship. It was as if Corrales had been privy to all my grievances and decided to answer each in a show of defiance to make King Leonidas proud.
He may never have again reached those heights, but his character had a profound effect on me. The word “character” can be interpreted in so many ways, and “Chico” exhibited them all. His reluctance to discredit Jose Luis Castillo in the aftermath of their rematch, despite having ample cause for doing so, made the man all the more impressive to me.
If there’s any consolation, Diego has achieved what he sought: a lasting legacy. No one can take that from him and no one with a mind for boxing can ever question his contribution to the sport. He will be missed, in and out of the ring.
R.I.P Diego Corrales.
Jane Warburton: Just a few days ago we were looking forward to a big fight weekend and compiling our thoughts on the fight ahead. But today we’re compiling a different kind of article; our shock on hearing that another great fighter
has lost his life.
We are saddened by the death of former two-weight champion Diego “Chico” Corrales, remembered by many for the exciting, although somewhat controversial win over Jose Luis Castillo, ironically exactly two years ago to the day that Diego died.
Promoter Gary Shaw said “He fought recklessly and he lived recklessly…that was his style.” Corrales faced many a tough opponent in the ring. Boxing is a hard sport, it was his life, but in the end it seems it was the way he lived his
life outside the ring that ended it.
Greig Johnston: Diego “Chico” Corrales was the bravest fighter I’ve ever seen in a boxing ring, and by far one of the most
entertaining. I remember him protesting madly at the stoppage of his first fight with Joel Casamayor. Chico obviously didn’t realise that swallowing litres of one’s own blood can be detrimental to health.
I remember him getting knocked down five times by Floyd Mayweather and being furious at being told, by his own corner, that he’d had enough. I remember him being out weighed, out punched, and out fought by Joshua Clottey in what turned out to be his last fight, and simply refusing to yield.
Most of all, I remember the two vicious left hooks that felled him in the tenth round in the first fight against Jose Luis Castillo. I remember seeing the fight sinking out of him, just for a moment as he lay on the canvas, but he rolled over, got up and knocked Castillo into tomorrow with the most dramatic comeback since Jesus at Easter.
Diego had his demons. He served 14 months in prison for spousal abuse, a crime that does not sit well with me. But when he came back and resumed his boxing career in 2003, I truly believe that he was a changed man.
He showed humility and respect for his opponents and the sport of boxing at large, two qualities that
do sit well with me.
Whenever I saw him interviewed, Diego came as across as polite, intelligent and highly articulate. I think that he could have carved out a fine career as a boxing broadcaster following his retirement.
Corrales was, above all else, human. He was flawed as a boxer and frequently fought in a high risk style to give us great fights. He recklessly abandoned his natural gifts of height and reach to go toe to toe on the inside with Castillo, one of the most devastating infighters of recent memory.
That he came out on top is testament to his chin, devastating punching power, and the biggest pair of balls ever dragged into a boxing ring. I’ve always said give me one Chico over 1000 Floyd Mayweathers any day.
When I told my girlfriend what happened to Chico, she said to me that at least it was a quick way to go. But Corrales was so tough that nothing could have killed him fast.
So, as Chico lay on that Vegas road listening to the referee gently counting to 10, I hope he was comforted by the fact that I, and millions of others, will never forget him.
Sean Malone: It still does not seem to be real. How can it be? He was supposed to be invincible. No matter what hit him, both physically in the ring as well as punches thrown by life itself, Diego “Chico” Corrales was to dust his self off and continue fighting.
Alas, Monday night fate chose to knock Corrales down and this time the 10 count was definite. The news that Corrales passed away Monday night after crashing his motorcycle into the back of a car left me in a stunned silence. Boxing fans the world over are united in their thoughts and mourning of one of boxing’s true warriors.
Diego Corrales was responsible for that thunderbolt moment in time when I discovered that my enjoyment of this sport hinged toward obsession. It was in his destruction of rugged Angel Manfredy back in 2000 that left me in awe of the beautiful savagery that was being displayed between those ropes. From that moment on, I was hooked like a drug addict on the sweet science. The effect was such that my son shares Diego’s name.
Corrales is the prime example of what a prize fighter should be. He was a fearless warrior who gave ever ounce of his self in the ring in the vain search of glory and respect.
Establishing his legacy in the sport seemed to fuel him to challenge only the toughest opposition. He had but one strategy within the squared circle, hit, be hit, and then hit back harder. Giving up was never an option in Diego’s battles and that attitude made him a fan favorite.
Perhaps the most endearing aspect of Chico’s persona was that he never once took our adulation for granted. Each of his bouts was a dedication to both his family and fans and boxing was made better for it. Not that Corrales was without his faults, he battled personal demons throughout most of his life but in a way such vulnerability only helped strengthen his fans love for him.
My deepest condolences go out to the entire Corrales family. One cannot fully comprehend what this time must be like for you and I will not pretend to try. I will say this; you know a person is special when some of your fiercest rivals issue statement in reverence to you. The boxing world has lost one of its finest practitioners, rest in peace Chico.
Gerald Rice: Diego Corrales was a genuinely nice guy and a great boxer, a rare combination if there ever was one. Able to joke and speak to you like he always knew you one minute and become a blood and guts warrior the next. It’s tragic and especially scary for those of us his age and older because this sort of thing shouldn’t happen.
Hopefully his memory and love of boxing won’t bring about distasteful suggestions of illegalizing the sport just like the deaths of Dale Earnhart and Hank Gathers didn’t.
As we reflect fondly on the many exciting rounds we’ve spent in his company, both in person and across television airwaves, thinking of what could have been, let’s remember what he was even outside of the ring. A champ.
Goran Dragosavac: News about Diego’s death has brought sadness to all boxing fans. He brought to us some of the most thrilling and memorable boxing moments that will never be forgotten.
With Chico in a ring, fans knew that there is going to be an action-packed fight, and that someone will be on the floor, at least once. With Chico in a ring fans knew that he will always be back, regardless of adversity. His heart would just never give up, and that was what endeared him to millions of fans.
Sadly, Diego “Chico” Corrales in no longer with us. Diego, we salute you, and may you soul rest in peace! My condolences to his family.
Simon Shaw: Raised in Sacramento, Diego was involved in street gangs in his teenage years and witnessed his best friends death via a drive by shooting. Soon after, Diego turned to boxing and boasted an impressive amateur record of 105-12. Diego turned pro in 1996 and by 2000 had a 33-0 record and the IBF Super Featherweight belt to his name.
He then went on to challenge pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2001, only to be beaten to the canvas five times by the tenth. This loss, his first at pro, seemed to send him into a negative spiral and after the Mayweather bout, Corrales had to deal with personal issues when he was accused of violence against his pregnant ex-wife, Corrales accepted a plea bargain and spent 14 months in prison.
He returned to the ring in 2003 and defeated Joel Casamayor on the second ask for the WBO Super Featherweight title and won the WBO Lightweight title in 2004 from Acelino Freitas, who subsequently retired.
In 2005, Corrales fought Jose Louis Castillo for what is widely regarded as one of the greatest fights ever. In this thriller, Corrales clawed his way up off the canvas twice in the tenth only to stop Castillo that same round and claim the WBC Lightweight title via TKO.
For me as a fight fan, the Castillo fight in question summed up what Diego Corrales was all about, and he did so in one legendary round that I certainly will never ever forget.
R.I.P Diego Corrales.
Matt Cotterell: To quote Rocky Balboa at the funeral of Apollo Creed, “He always did things the way you wanted them”. Those words could so easily be applied to Diego Corrales.
Corrales gave us more than our fair share of thrills and spills along the way, going above and beyond the call of duty in the pursuit of victory. You always got the impression that he was fighting for more than just a W.
I will never forget Corrales refusing to surrender against insurmountable odds in his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr, or having to be pulled out against Joel Casamayor with a terrible wound to his mouth, and lastly his memorable come from behind victory over Jose Luis Castillo in one of the greatest fights ever witnessed.
A true warrior and hero of mine and many many more boxing fans around the world, he will be greatly missed.
My condolences to the family of Diego “Chico” Corrales.
R.I.P Champ.
Saddo: As a boxing fan, it is always sad to see the loss of one of our own, but as a man it saddens me more to see the loss of someone so young.
My prayers and thoughts are to his family. RIP Chico; you were a great fighter and will be sadly missed by all.
Daxx Kahn: I can’t really pick one particular moment in Diego’s career that I remember most. It seemed that every time he stepped into the ring, we were left with something to talk about for the next days to come.
May 7 was a sad moment for the sport of boxing. A true champion was lost. Diego was the textbook version of what heart and determination should be.
I know that the sport will miss him and so will his fans. It is tragic that he passed at such a young age. He was only 29 and had so much more life left to live. I wish his family the best.
Peter Porto: Diego “Chico” Corrales, a former world champion in two weight divisions, was a boxer to be remembered as exemplifying the best of boxing. His never say die attitude, crowd pleasing style, and willingness to take any challenge, set him apart and are things that boxers at all levels would be well served to learn from and appreciate.
Many fighters give lip service to things like “giving it their all,” or “going out on their shield,” but Diego Corrales lived it and proved it. He had the heart of a champion, a warrior, and a true professional, and that is how he deserves to be remembered.
Adam Matson: Perhaps equally as telling of Diego Corrales as the epic tenth round of his first fight of the year bout with Jose Luis Castillo, were the nine rounds proceeding the classic finish. Corrales, who held a distinct reach and height advantage, possessed all the tools to box and slow down the pace from the outside. Yet, despite the encouragement from the television broadcasters and his corner, Corrales went into his opponent’s backyard and fought shoulder to shoulder, making one of the most explosive style matchups in the history of the game.
After 27 minutes of exchanging viscous hooks and short uppercuts with Castillo, Corrales left his stool in the tenth, two minutes removed from boxing history. With two badly swollen eyes, Corrales would eventually have to pick himself up off the mat twice before scoring the stoppage that spectacularly cemented the two in boxing immortality.
Even without his monumental victory over Castillo, Corrales’ lasting legacy in boxing will undoubtedly be the warrior mentality he exhibited every time he stepped foot in the squared circle.
He will be remembered for being moved to tears after his corner did not allow him to continue after getting up from the canvas five times against Floyd Mayweather Jr., or wanting to keep trading with Joel Casamayor even after swallowing over a pint of his own blood due to a cut in his mouth.
Perhaps his second greatest victory was his bout with Acelino Freitas. Corrales constantly stalked the Brazilian who was potshotting his way to a victory before Corrales caught him in the eighth, en route to breaking Freitas’ will and Freitas’ undefeated record.
Corrales showed heart to the very end. Overmatched and with shouts of retirement harassing him going the fight, “Chico” Corrales once again stood shoulder to shoulder with his opponent, this time the the bigger and harder hitting man, the upstart Joshua Clottey.
The irony of the terrible tragedy that took his life is that, two years almost to the hour after that unforgettable night in which he thrilled thousands in Las Vegas and scores more at home, Corrales was to lose his life on a Las Vegas road just miles from the Mandalay Bay Events Center where he scored his defining moment against Castillo.
Perhaps it is fitting that on a day in which Corrales will be forever remembered by, he will now be forever mourned. Rest in Peace to a true boxing warrior, Diego Corrales.
Phil Santos: Diego “Chico” Corrales…just mention the name and any fan of boxing instantly has a favorite story to share. Diego lived life hard and fought like a warrior every time he stepped inside the ropes.
His battle with Jose Luis Castillo was merely a microcosm of who he truly was. He never quit, never looked to tactfully box his was to a decision. He always gave his all and boxing fans loved him for it.
Big wins against Derrick Gainer, Angel Manfredy, Joel Casamayor, Acelino Freitas and Jose Luis Castillo only begin to tell the story of a man who was more than just a great champion. Diego was a father, a husband and a man of the people.
Corrales has been thrilling us for so long that it almost seems he’s been around forever. Diego gave us 11 years of thrills in the ring and we will always remember him for it. His memory will live on forever in the hearts of boxing fans.
God Bless the Corrales family. May the passing of time and memories of Diego’s greatness help ease the pain of his untimely death.
Jim Everett: Diego “Chico” Corrales was the type of person you hoped to emulate. He had a never give up attitude and a heart of a champion. He looked for the biggest challenges available to him and took them head on.
In the fight of the year for 2005, Corrales was knocked down twice and looked like a man who had been beaten. Rather than hold his opponent to try and make it through the round, he launched his own offensive and forced a stoppage by staggering Castillo. It was the greatest round of boxing I had ever witnessed.
He was truly a unique person who will be greatly missed both in and outside the ring.
Rest in peace champ.
Simon Jackson: Diego Corrales died in the manner he lived; at 100mph. Corrales, 29, died in a high speed motorcycle accident in Las Vegas on Monday. This formidable fighter, who held world titles at super featherweight and lightweight, was a fearless fighter throughout his 45 bout career.
Incredibly tall for 130 lb at 5’11″, Corrales won his first 33 bouts before suffering defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr in a fight that saw him on the canvas five times before his corner threw the towel in.
He fought another six times at super feather division before stepping up to lightweight and burst onto the scene in August 2004 with a tenth round stoppage of Acelino Freitas for the WBO Lightweight title.
Better was to come when he fought Jose Luis Castillo in May 2005 to decide the WBO and WBC Lightweight titles in what many considered to be the peak of Corrales career and one of the best fights of all time.
The two fighters traded punches, standing toe to toe from the outset and Corrales, as often was the case in the see-sawing nature of his bouts, was down twice before stopping Castillo in the tenth.
Frank Maloney, who has been responsible for three world champions, was in the Las Vegas audience that night and remains impressed by what he saw: “It was fantastic,” Maloney said today. “It was a privilege to be there.”
This exceptional victory proved to be Corrales’ last and although he fought another three times without success, he maintained his entertaining style of boxing to the end.
James Oakley: Diego was a true warrior of the fight game, and his first clash with Castillo is not out of its depth when compared with the top ten greatest fights of all time in boxing.
It is incredibly sad that this tragic fate has happened to someone who gave so much to the sport. Best wishes to his wife and children who must remember him as a heroic husband and father; he will not be forgotten.
Ben Lettman: The first time that I saw Diego Corrales fight was his first installment against Joel Casamayor. Judging him on that performance, I was not sure what to make of him.
His chin was high up in the air. His defence was sloppy. The next major fight I saw him in was his war against Jose Luis Castillo and after watching this fight, I did not care about his imperfections.
He showed more blood, sweat and guts in just that one fight then some fighters show in a lifetime. He will be remembered as true warrior. It was an honour to see him in the ring.
Rob Lewis: Diego was one of the most stand up boxers, not just of the era he fought in, but of all time. Diego was never a boxer who only fought for money or pointless titles, he was never a boxer who would fight someone to take the easy way out.
“Chico” was always going to be a boxer who would get in the ring with deserving fighters and go to hell and back for the fans and for himself. He fought with pride, spirit and a determination that made him the legend he is and gained him the level of respect that he has.
It was devastating to hear of this tragic news, not just because Corrales was one of boxing’s biggest names, but because he was one of boxing’s most genuinely stand up and nice guys.
He was never a boxer or a person to degrade his opponents and in victory or defeat, Diego always took the time to pay respects to the person that he shared the ring with.
From my years of following boxing, reading forums and writing about it, Diego is one of the only fighters that I honestly can’t remember reading bad things about or seeing personal attacks directed at him.
Whilst people would debate and question where he is ranked in the pound for pound tables, or whom he would or wouldn’t beat, there never were personal remarks made about him or his character, and in boxing, that is a marvelous feat in itself!
At a time like this, one can only celebrate his life and career whilst giving their deepest condolences to his friends and family.
Boxing is in mouring for such a loss and Diego Corrales will be truly missed by everyone.
Mark Desisto: Living in Las Vegas, I had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with Diego “Chico” Corrales a few times.
Courteous and polite are two words that come to mind in describing Diego’s mannerism towards me.
The memory that sticks out the most was while I was an inexperienced photographer, alone with my camera on
the wrong side of the ring apron, looking to get a few shots as Diego shook out for the media prior to his second fight with Jose Luis Castillo.
Reluctant to call Diego away from the horde of cameras on the “right” side of the apron, boxing’s true warrior came over with a smile and threw a few classic combos to ensure I wasn’t left out of the action. Boxing has truly lost one of the sport’s greatest ambassadors.
Chico had no fear and would fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. Diego truly cared about his fans and one of his main concerns was that they got their money’s worth when he was in the ring. It was no accident that Diego “Chico” Corrales was the victor in perhaps the greatest fight of all time.
Diego’s style in the ring has reminded us all of one of life’s most important lessons: Never give up!.
Thank you Diego and may your rest in peace.
Anthony Roberts: It’s a terrible tragedy not only for the Corrales family and everyone who knew him, but also for the boxing world. Diego truly was one of boxing’s ultimate warriors.
He gave everything in the ring, even on the rare occasion he was defeated, he could hold his head high. This brought him the respect of his peers and boxing fans the world over.
His legacy will live on and he will go down in history as one of the bravest and most exciting fighters of all time. It was a privilege to have seen him in action.
Alex Strutt: As a boxing fan, I am deeply sorry to have lost a fighter like Corrales. We do not have many people in the sport who will put everything on the line like he has done in the past.
He will be remembered a warrior and an exciting fighter to watch who brought us some of the best action for years to come. R.I.P.
Curtis McCormick: Diego Corrales transcended the sport of boxing in both life and death. He showed us all what the human spirit is capable of when the matter at hand is truly important to oneself.
What I saw in person at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas two years ago was not a fight but something else all together. I’m still not sure of what I witnessed when Diego and Jose Luis went to war in that first bout but I experienced every conceivable human emotion right then and there because of what they gave in that ring.
We shall have to wait a long time before someone with Diego Corrales’ qualities comes along as we have all clearly lost a very special person. May he rest in peace and the memory of him guide his family through this difficult time.
