Avila Perspective, Chap 95: Boxing’s Return and Chico Corrales

Avila Perspective, Chap 95: Boxing’s Return and Chico Corrales

The return of boxing has created rumblings and murmurs across the world.

Let’s hope prizefighting returns with a big bang, not a little pop pop. Boxing needs to come out like Hagler and Hearns.

One main reason boxing needs to return with big fights is that all sports are returning at roughly the same time including Major League Baseball, a suspended NBA season and the NFL season which this year kicks off a week later than usual with the annual Hall of Fame game going on Aug. 6.

Boxing will be competing for attention with all of these sports all at once. The sports world will be inundated with information on all of these other team sports and boxing always takes a back seat.

Forget about tune-up fights. Nobody has an advantage right now. Everything is closed and sparring is not available to anyone until major boxing areas open up to business.

Big fights like Vasyl Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez have to get made now. Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. would be another marquee fight but it seems Spence is not quite ready since his car accident.

Tyson Fury seems eager to fight Anthony Joshua for all the heavyweight titles and that could be a bonanza for worldwide attention. Though both fight out of the United Kingdom it’s not going to be easy to find a place to stage this megafight. Both promoters know it could be a huge money fight if they wait.

But the world cannot wait.

If promoters are smart they will come out of their corner swinging like Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo.

Speaking of Corrales

It’s been 13 years since Diego “Chico” Corrales passed away in Las Vegas.

On May 7, 2007, I received a call from a female boxer, Vaia Zaganas, who lived near Corrales and spotted a motorcycle accident in the western portion of Las Vegas. She recognized the bike and soon discovered it belonged to her friend Corrales.

Back in that time most of the prizefighters knew each other very well. Corrales was one of the more likeable boxers and was extremely popular with fans and other boxers as well.

It was difficult to believe that Corrales who was only 29 had passed away in a motorcycle accident. I was perhaps the first writer to know he had passed away and contacted the promoters to confirm the death. Even the promoters did not know about Corrales accident when I called. I never received the confirmation from the promoters but instead of waiting I called the Las Vegas authorities to get confirmation of the bad news.

Corrales was one of the few boxers that you could talk to like a next-door-neighbor. He was very open and liked to talk about his sport. He also loved to fight in the boxing ring.

According to Corrales his favorite fight was against Robert Garcia who is now a successful trainer and manager in Riverside, California. When they fought in October 1999 I was covering that world title clash that took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Garcia was undefeated and defending the IBF super featherweight world title and not going down easy. Both fighters waged war relentlessly for seven fierce rounds. Corrales would win by technical knockout but the blows exchanged were something to behold.

It was on the same card as Mike Tyson and Orlin Norris that ended in one round and was later ruled a No Contest by NSAC. While finishing up my story Corrales walked into the arena and spoke to me and a fellow journalist from Uppercut Magazine which I also represent.

“I sure could use a bottle of pop,” said Corrales.

We all broke out in laughter.

“You’re this badass fighter and asking for a bottle of pop,” said Jesus Jimenez the publisher of Uppercut Magazine. “You got to talk tough. You can’t be asking for a bottle of sody pop.”

It was funny stuff but kind of explains Corrales. He had an endearing personality that everyone seemed to like. But inside the boxing ring he was a pure killer and unwilling to surrender.

Corrales was half Mexican and half African American and refused to say he was one or the other. My wife is also half and half and she says the same thing: she is both. She and her family were devastated when Corrales passed away. As was the boxing world when it lost Corrales, who died exactly two years to the day of his win over Jose Luis Castillo. It’s a fight burned in the memories of boxing fans worldwide.

Here’s a toast to you Chico.

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