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Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis
Castillo
World Lightweight Unification Bout On March 5
In a matchup the fans, media – and fighters themselves --
have been demanding for many months, the two lightweight
boxers recognized as the most talented in the world will
square off when World Boxing Organization (WBO) Champion
Diego “Chico’’ Corrales takes on two-time World Boxing
Council (WBC) Champion Jose Luis Castillo in a world title
unification bout on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Saturday,
March 5, 2005, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West
Coast).
The highly anticipated Battle For Supremacy at 135 pounds on
SHOWTIME – an early candidate for Fight of the Year -- will
be co-promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and Top Rank,
Inc., in association with Banner Promotions. A site and
co-featured bout will be announced in the near future.
Corrales (39-2, 32 KOs), of Sacramento, Calif., captured the
WBO crown with a sensational 10th-round TKO over defending
champion Acelino “Popo” Freitas on Aug. 7, 2004, on
SHOWTIME. In a terrific bout that lived up to its billing as
a leading candidate for Fight of the Year, Corrales spotted
the previously undefeated Freitas a huge early lead before
rallying dramatically to register three knockdowns en route
to winning his third world title belt.
The crowd-pleasing Corrales, who entered the ring against
Freitas as WBO 130-pound titleholder, scored one knockdown
in the eighth, ninth and 10th rounds. After trailing by a
substantial margin after seven rounds, Corrales turned an
intense bout which featured many exciting exchanges around
in the eighth with his first knockdown. Entering the 10th,
the aggressive, offensive-minded Corrales had edged in front
on two of the three scorecards, 85-83 and 85-84, but was
behind, 83-85, on the other.
Perhaps the most feared pure puncher in the lighter weight
classes, the lanky Corrales was making his first start since
winning the then-vacant WBO 130-pound belt with an excellent
12-round split decision over Joel Casamayor on March 6,
2004, on SHOWTIME. The victory over Casamayor came in a
rematch of a fight that the Cuban had won on a disputed
sixth-round TKO on Oct. 4, 2003. Corrales won his first
world title fight with a seventh-round TKO over defending
International Boxing Federation (IBF) 130-pound champion
Robert Garcia on Oct. 23, 1999, on SHOWTIME.
Castillo (51-6-1, 45 KOs), of Sonora, Mexico, will be making
the second defense in his second stint as WBC lightweight
champion. In his last start, Castillo came from behind to
retain his belt with a hard-fought 12-round split decision
over Casamayor on Dec. 4, 2004, on SHOWTIME. In a classic
puncher versus boxer matchup that had the fans on their feet
cheering wildly during the final nine minutes, the late
surging Castillo took the last three rounds on all three
judges’ scorecards to triumph by the scores of 117-111,
116-112 and 113-115.
Castillo, who won the WBC 135-pound belt the first time with
a 12-round majority decision over Steve Johnston on June 17,
2000, regained it with a unanimous 12-round unanimous
decision over Juan Lazcano on June 5, 2004.
Following three successful defenses in his initial tenure as
world champion, Castillo lost the title and a subsequent
rematch to unbeaten Floyd Mayweather in April and December
of 2002. Many felt he got jobbed and that Mayweather was
fortunate to get the nod in their first match.
After turning pro at age 16 in May 1990, Castillo knocked
out his initial 14 opponents and won three titles before
earning the WBC world crown. The 15 year veteran won the
Mexican state featherweight (Oct. 2, 1992), Pacific
130-pound (Aug. 15, 1996) and Mexican featherweight (July 4,
1997) championships during the early part of his career.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING’s Steve Albert and Al Bernstein
will call the action from ringside with Jim Gray serving as
roving reporter. The executive producer of the SHOWTIME
telecast will be Jay Larkin, with David Dinkins Jr.
producing and Bob Dunphy directing.
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