José Luis Castillo vs. Diego Corrales 07.05.2005
In the annals of boxing history, there are fights that transcend the confines of the ring and become the stuff of legend. On May 7, 2005, in the bright lights of Las Vegas, two lightweight champions stepped into the squared circle and delivered a bout for the ages – a fight that would be whispered about for years to come, a fight that would cement the legacies of the warriors who waged it and the coveted Ring Magazine Fight of the Year.
When WBC champ Jose Luis “El Temible” Castillo and WBO titleholder Diego “Chico” Corrales signed on the dotted line, the stage was set for an electrifying showdown between two of the sport’s most fearsome competitors. Castillo, the Mexican stalwart with an iron chin and relentless pressure, met his match in the explosive punching power and indomitable will of Corrales. From the opening bell, these two warriors left everything in the ring, exchanging vicious blows in a gruelling, back-and-forth battle that had the fight faithful at the Mandalay Bay on the edge of their seats.
Castillo seemed to have the upper hand for much of the fight, his devastating uppercuts and body work slowing the younger Corrales. But “Chico” refused to go quietly into the night. After being dropped twice in the 10th round, Corrales summoned his inner Rocky, spitting out his mouthpiece to buy precious recovery time before roaring back and staging a miraculous comeback. Trapping Castillo on the ropes, Corrales unloaded a barrage of punches that left his Mexican foe helpless, forcing referee Tony Weeks to call a halt to the proceedings at 2:06 of the 10th.
In the aftermath, promoter Gary Shaw declared it “as great a fight as you will ever see,” the sentiments echoed by all in attendance who had witnessed boxing history unfold before their eyes. For Corrales, it was the defining moment of his career, a triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity that will forever cement his place among the all-time greats.
Though both men paid a heavy physical price, the Castillo-Corrales epic stands tall as one of the greatest fights the sport has ever seen – a Rocky-esque tale of one man’s refusal to quit, no matter the odds stacked against him. It is the kind of fight that boxing fans will continue to talk about for generations, a true classic that will stand the test of time.
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Filed under: Lightweight - @ May 7, 2005 11:59 pm
Tags: Diego Corrales, José Luis Castillo, Ring Fight Of The Year