Diego "Chico" Corrales Dies In Motorcycle Accident.

He was 29.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2863505

Former two-division world champion Diego "Chico" Corrales, who lived as hard as he fought, died in a mororcycle crash Monday night in Las Vegas...

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2863505

damn......that's sad. I always liked that guy.

That Diego Corrales - Jose Luis Castillo bout in May 2005 was one for the ages. RIP Diego.

That's all you need to know about Diego Corrales. Rest in Peace, Champ!

That's too bad. He was a tough boxer for sure. Always liked watching him.

He was one of the most exciting warriors of this era. Though he willbe best remembered by boxing fans for the classic 2005 war with Jose Luis Castillo, he had been in a number of outstanding fights.

On 10-23-99, he TKOed Roberto Garcia in 7 rounds for the IBF Super Featherweight crown. Five months later, he TKOed tough Derrick Gainer in 3 rounds in a title defense. He was an impressive figure in the ring, always wearing trunks that showed this man was ready for "war" in the ring.

On 1-20-01, he fought in a unification bout against Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who had the WBC Super Featherweight Title. I had expected him to win that one, but he was badly beaten by Mayweather, being decked 5 times. But, he kept getting up. There were questions about how much making that weight hurt him. It was more, though: he faced serious legal issues, and spent some time in jail after the fight.

Corrales took responsibility for his life. He came out of jail a better person. And he re-started his career at a higher weight class. On 10-4-03, he lost in an outstanding battle against tough Cuban star Joel Casamayor. He might well have won the fight, if not for a bad cut that was causing the loss of too much blood. Fight fans remember Diego arguing with the doctor to give him "one more round."

Five months later, he outpointed Joel in ten rounds. Five months later, he won the WBO Lightweight title, when he TKOed Acelino Frietas in 10 rounds. Freitas is a talented boxer/puncher, but his quitting twice in fights stands out as a huge difference between him and the "never say die" Corrales. It is a sad thing to read that this young man has indeed died, at a time when he should have begun to enjoy life after boxing.

Diego was one of the best boxers ever to come out of Sactown. South Sacramento is some mean streets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Corrales">Diego Corrales Wikipedia Entry


"Diego Corrales (August 25, 1977 - May 7, 2007) was a super featherweight and lightweight world boxing champion. "Chico" had a professional record of 40-5, with 33 wins coming by way of knockout.

Corrales was born to a Colombian father and a Mexican mother. Corrales' early life was filled with violence. He was raised in Sacramento, CA, where he was involved with street gangs. At age 13, he witnessed his best friend's death via drive-by shooting."

http://boxing.about.com/od/records/a/corrales.htm">Fight-by-Fight Career Record


Good recap of Coralles/Castillo Fight


"Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo battled Saturday at Mandalay Bay in what has easily been the fight of the year, and a candidate for best fight of all time. It definitely became an instant classic as the two lightweight champions bravely fought toe-to-toe for 10 incredible rounds.

In the first round Diego Corrales and Castillo didn't bother to feel each other out at all -- rather both fighters exchanged left hooks and crushing body blows. Diego Corrales, at 6'0 -- 4 or 5 inches taller than Castillo -- really had no intelligent reason to stay inside. He would have been much better off jabbing and boxing from the outside.

Corrales did not come to box, he came to cement his reputation as a warrior and a throwback fighter. He accomplished that feat along with cementing his reputation as the most exciting fighter in boxing, an even more talented version of Arturo Gatti..."

Rest in Peace, Chico.

Driving 100 mph on a motorcycle at 7 PM on the southwest side of Las Vegas. That's exactly where the population has expanded, to the west side, so hardly a shock he could come across a car in his path.

There are plenty of remote desert roads around here where he could have done that comfortably. I don't get it. I see more and more reckless driving in this city. We just had five deaths in one vehicle a couple of nights ago, when a drunk driver ran into them. Naturally, he was barely hurt.