Countdown To Corrales/Casamayor Iii

Saturday’s fighters ready for Showtime doubleheader

Just days before Diego “Chico” Corrales (40-3, 33 KOs) and Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor (33-3-1, 21 KOs) meet for a third and final time at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas (Showtime), the two fighters had some last minute comments about their opponents Saturday night.

Corrales, the WBC lightweight champion from Las Vegas by way of Sacramento, said, “I’m ready to go. There’s no need to talk. The nonsense is over. I’m in great shape and ready for Saturday.”

Casamayor, the former 130-pound champ from Miramar, Fla. via Guantanamo, Cuba, said he’s prepared for anything a knockout or a distance fight. I’m ready to rumble, ready to go. This is the new Joel Casamayor. I cleaned house, I have a new trainer, a new camp. I’m ready for anything.”

The co-main event features IBF/IBO flyweight champion Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan (26-0, 21 KOs), from Armenia, against world-ranked Glenn “The Filipino Bomber” Donaire (16-2-1, nine KOs)

“Twelve rounds is a long time, said the heavy-handed Darchinyan. That’s 36 minutes. We’re not going to be fighting for 36 minutes. I’m going to knock him out.

Glenn Donaire said, “I’m going to make [Darchinyan] eat his words. If they judge me by my last few performances they will be mistaken. I’m a different fighter now.

“I can’t wait to fight him. He talks too much.”