TalkingBoxing Articles
When Enough Is Enough
WED June 7, ROGER GORDILLO - It might not be the popular school of thought but sometimes you have to go against the grain and speak your mind, even if it means people are going to be madder than Norman Stone in a room with James Toney. At the very least it displays integrity and courage even if no one notices. So when something so controversial happens every angle should be analyzed and reviewed in an effort to learn as much as you can about the situation and its people involved. So in my latest column I’ll give you a different point of view on Castillo Corrales 1, 2 & almost 3.
Castillo Corrales the Beginning
As the first installment of this would be trilogy came about some hard core fans anticipated the match up but no real big hype was being voiced and Come fight night it was apparent. The event brought about a very sparse crowd something a little unusual for a unification bout between two of a divisions finest in Vegas on a major network. In fact the gate was so small that people were being bumped up to better accommodations quicker than a celeb. getting the V.I.P treatment, an old trick used by the networks to fool the people at home. Little did they know they were being treated to better seats for what would go down as one of the greatest fights of all time. As the fight began just as I expected both guys went by the script as I knew Castillo had one gear and that was forward, throwing a variety of punches. Corrales was himself as well, standing toe to toe often squared up to his opponent with a thirst to unleash power left and right hooks in succession. The match was played out in what could have been a phone booth as the ebb and flow continued it was fastly becoming a war of attrition. The shorter forward crouching Castillo with his hands held high started to do more damage to his taller leaner opponent dropping him twice in succession. As the inevitable loomed closely as Castillo turned Corrales face into an odd resemblance of a battered Winky Wright. Castillo would then get too comfortable, confident, or careless in his efforts to end the bloodshed was stunned left reeling back against the ropes nailed by a serious of shots leaving the would be victors head flopping about like a rag doll and out on his feet.
The Sequel
At the weigh in Castillo was beyond confident and promised a victory guaranteeing a knock out. A sentiment later echoed by his countrymen Jorge Arce and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. I think Castillo knew how close he came to victory and was set on winning and not holding back. Do I think the weight came in to play or if it was purposeful, no, but who will ever know. Corrales is the textbook tall lanky boxer getting leverage on his shots making him a dangerous puncher, although the downside usually results in a chinny fighter. Castillo had the first fight won and he let it slip by him. He came back in the second match went to work and Diego simply left himself open and got caught.
Almost the Third
Castillo clearly looked drained at the weigh in did he know that he was not going to make weight? Yes, can you blame him? No. put yourself in his shoes has there ever been any real repercussion (besides fines) for coming in heavy? No, so what’s the big deal if I come in two, three or four pounds heavy, I’m paying a fine to my opponent for it so now we’re even. How many times have fighters come in overweight only to lose or almost lose fights? Recent examples include Mike Anchondo, Ridicke Bowe, James Toney’s draw, Lewis vs. Klitschko Etc. Perhaps he was living in such a spot light after finally breaking through his former Idols shadow that he just didn’t prioritize. Maybe it was all the People treating you like a nation’s hero, praising you for being in the greatest fight of all time. Or perhaps it was the fact that you struggled to make weight for over a decade and you always seemed to get there. Not realizing that in your last three fights you haven’t made weight but ignoring the signs. (I’m not condoning his actions just trying to give you another look at the situation or possibly even into his psyche). To be honest at first I was a bit upset with the cancellation of the fight, all those poor souls that blew their wad on a Shobox card, in which I would have been included, had I decided to cover the fight Ringside. All that was going through my mind was the countless times I’d heard Corrales say I’d die in the ring before I quit or I’m a warrior a gladiator. With so many writers talking about weightgate or what ever cutesy names they made up to keep the flame of controversy burning now with Castillo’s latest act of selfish Idiocy, it would undoubtedly give these scribes more logs to throw on the fire. But it’s not me in that ring so whose to say how much more stable and stronger Chico wouldn’t be at a higher weight himself. So in hindsight I have to tip my hat to Corrales for his principles, professionalism and sacrifice it’s just a shame that Castillo couldn’t speak up instead of hoping his weight problem would solve itself.
The Aftermath
Ultimately you can call it karma, an eye for an eye or you reap what you sow. Corrales spit out his mouth piece twice regained his bearings and received a pep talk from Joe Goosen worthy of Vince Lombardi or Teddy Atlas while Castillo remained in a neutral corner. Castillo might have had an advantage over Corrales in not going down to 135. Yes I know you might say how you can compare the two but as one man of the cloth put it there is no big or small sin just sin. So the truth is no one will ever know if either man one their respected matches because of these points to ponder. And if you think you do I’d like you to teach me how to walk on water when you get a chance. But in all seriousness all this talk of weightgate and what not is pretty annoying. Hopefully Diego can move on to another big fight hopefully against Juan Diaz. Castillo went into to the fight knowing how much of a stink people made of the situation and should have met with all parties and reached an agreement as the fight closed in. So now he’ll have to suffer the repercussions of his negligence. There is no doubt that this will go down as a landmark event in the sport (even though this has happened a couple of times in Boxing’s past, although I don’t believe it’s ever garnered this kind of attention) changes will be made if not in the sport than in the way commissions and promoters handle fights. It does no one any good to cry over spilt milk when all our attention and efforts could be focused on topics and fighters worthy of some ink. So remember what good old’ mom always said it hurts them more if you ignore them.
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