Nature’s Way: You Kick My Butt, I’ll Kick Yours

When Diego “Chico” Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo say they’re anxious to get it on again Saturday night in Las Vegas, you have to believe them.

Despite the spoils of participation, and especially victory, their motivation is admirable.

They’re saying quite a bit when going to work means conk after conk to the cabeza. Such a thumping, hambone harmony often connects to not only conclusive concussions, but permanent problems.

The over-under on how many dozen blasts to the temple, chin or ribs each hero absorbs is a thin lifeline drawn high above the single shot that can change any man’s existence.

When Corrales and Castillo try to splatter each other into dreamland, there’s more than a good chance that both will be at least partially successful in their frenzied quests.

That means pain aplenty for each principal. They knew it going in the first time, and the second time. Making it through the related thought process is a fighter’s nature, one way or another.

“It’s what we do,” said Corrales. “We left no stone unturned. I know we’ll probably beat the crap out of each other in this fight as well.”

Either guy can win by stoppage, and already has. Breaking down the numbers from their first two fights just shows how much we don’t know about what might happen in the third.

After two matches, the give and take department is virtually as even as the record book tally. Each man has been known to be of generous heart and nature in pursuit of refining their craft. This is another case where it’s better to give than to receive.

“I have to say having three fights back to back against Castillo were the most grueling [training] camps I’ve ever had,” said Corrales, “I know I’ll get the win whether by knockout or decision.”

Don’t look for this engagement to last the entire scheduled duration. If it does go to the cards, expect more controversy than in the first two fights combined.

“If Corrales doesn’t change his style and fights the way he did before, this will be really spectacular,” promised Castillo. “I know I can knock him out.”

Besides the rare brawling that’s been displayed, Corrales versus Castillo has featured everything from legitimately disputed rulings to shifty shenanigans.

While cases of deliberately missing mouthpieces and stepped on scales added to the mystique of this series, many resulting reflections amount to nothing more than another tower of babble.

You can take away the referees and the scales. The score is one to one, in a scenario that has properly balanced itself out it a blur of dyed leather gloves. Call it Nature’s way.

Looking at part three of the Jose and Chico extravaganza returns you to square circle one. When you get down to breaking it down, the calendar might as well say May 2005.

The payoff is only one or a hundred left hook-uppercut-combination-exchanges away.    

Close, two-way odds on Castillo might be a little stronger than they were before. We’d take him in a coin flip. Besides his apprenticeship sparring with Julio Caesar Chavez and plenty of tough early fights, Castillo has the edge in recent, top-flight competition.

Remember that wasn’t enough the first time around, and don’t bet without seeing the weigh-in.

If Castillo and Corrales are indeed right back where they started from going into the fight and a likely outcome, then yee-haw, so are the fans in for another wild ride.

It should be brutal and thrilling. What else is new? This rivalry has been defined by greatness since the opening round.