Corrales-Castillo III? Food for thought

Some of the luster has rubbed off the big prize. We were expecting steak and lobster, but had to settle for a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese.

But that’s the fight game. Thrills, chills and an extra serving of controversy.

It’s been about a week since the second Jose Luis Castillo – Diego Corrales fight. You probably remember it. It’s almost as hard to forget as their first fight, though for different reasons.

Their first fight in May, well, that’s what the fight game is supposed to be all about. That performance quickly elbowed its way to the front of the line for “fight of the year” honors.

Their second fight last Saturday? Well, it wasn’t exactly Ali – Frazier. 

Instead, it was four hard rounds of fighting, overshadowed by two days of controversy, bad guys and disrespect.

So when II doesn’t measure up to I and there are two different winners, what do you do?

Maybe in March.

In a conference call Wednesday, there was some small talk about a possible rubber match between Corrales and Castillo. But only if there was a way to make sure one of the fighters didn’t show up at the weigh-in with a toothpick in his mouth and steak sauce on his shirt.

Someone on the call asked promoter Gary Shaw how he could protect his fighter – Corrales – and see to it that Castillo made the same 135-pound limit Corrales was bound to.

“Well,” Shaw said, “we will probably insist on some 30-day weigh-in, 20-day, 10-day, all the way down the line so we will know where we are at. According to (Top Rank promoter) Bob Arum’s statement, they may not fight at 135. So that would mean myself and Diego and Joe (Corrales’ trainer Goossen) would have to sit down and discuss whether we want to fight a rematch at a different weight or do we just want to pass on the rematch.“

Shaw did say they had a contract calling for a rematch with the same terms and conditions as the second fight. It‘s for 135 pounds, not the 137 Castillo is said to have weighed at the weigh-in.

“We are probably looking at the spring of ‘06,” said Top Rank’s Todd DuBuof. “You have the Winter Olympics in February, so that really clouds up February, and then you are looking sometime in March. No idea on the venue.”

How about a back alley?

Of course, Corrales, who was stopped in the fourth round by Castillo by what he called a “great shot,” is ready to fight Sunday or Monday if that’s what they want. Hell, he’ll fight again tonight if they could swing it.

“If we could do it tomorrow, I do not care,” he said. “I do not need a break. I am fortunate enough. I did not come out of the fight with any major injuries. I am OK.”

The one guy missing on the conference call was Castillo. Rumors had him moving up in weight and challenging the Hopkins-Taylor winner in December.

Just kidding.

“I know we have a rematch clause,” Shaw said. “Diego wants it invoked. I trust Todd. I believe they will make the fight according to the contract that we have at 135 pounds. Hopefully, that will be totally done and finished within the next two weeks.”

Maybe there's still a chance for steak and lobster.