Corrales, 1977-2007. I met him once... great guy

Diego "Chico" Corrales was a "life in the fast lane" kind of guy... but the only time I met him, he was patient and friendly with a novice reporter, who had no clue what he was doing.
I was 24 years old, had just begun writing for the internet boxing site: 'Boxing Wise', and had gotten to the Staples Center late, for my first ever press conference. I had no program, no schedule, and had missed half of what was going on. By the time it ended, I was thoroughly confused. Genaro Hernandez had helped me out a little, but I had spent more time interviewing him about his career than finding out what was happening.
All I knew was that De la Hoya and Mosley were not there (it was their first fight), so i was going to approach the biggest name fighter there... Diego Corrales. To my surprise he was standing alone, swinging his arms back and forth nervously, at the end of the press conference. I approached him, and asked one stupid question after another. I admitted I had gotten there late, knew nothing, and he smiled and repeated everything for me... the date he would be fighting (I was that clueless), opponent, and then humbly only predicted a "great fight" if he got Mayweather in the ring (he did 7 months later). I will always remember that friendly, sheepish smile, and the attitude as if my ignorance was not bothering him at all. And being a tall fighter from California (me too) always cheered for him to win.
Last month, I recommended he retire. He had done all he needed to do in the ring. Sadly, although fight fans got his all, his children will not be so lucky. They will barely know their father. One of them (due in two months) will not know him at all. For all he gave to us in that ring, he deserved the easy life in retirement. But his kind so rarely gets it. Financial hardships and early death were his reward for entertaining slugfests, while fighters like Floyd Mayweather and Roy Jones Jr. have enjoyed riches for boring us to tears time after time. Corrales' death is a big loss for the boxing world, and hits me especially hard... but it's his children who I hope can reap the benefits of their father's boxing legacy.

Ok, here's my scorecard

DE LA HOYA VS. MAYWEATHER
ROUND 1 - MAYWEATHER
ROUND 2 - DE LA HOYA
ROUND 3 - MAYWEATHER
ROUND 4 - DE LA HOYA
ROUND 5 - MAYWEATHER
ROUND 6 - MAYWEATHER
ROUND 7 - DE LA HOYA
ROUND 8 - DE LA HOYA
ROUND 9 - EVEN
ROUND 10 - MAYWEATHER
ROUND 11 - MAYWEATHER
ROUND 12 - DE LA HOYA

I had it 115-114 for Mayweather. The fight party I attended was much the same as the actual event... the casual fans all thought De La Hoya won, while the die-hards thought Mayweather won. While I have issue with the punchstat numbers (De La Hoya looked to be blocking many more punches than he was credited with), the right man got the decision. Boxing does not have a goddamned black eye again, or any other useless, empty euphamism people throw out there whenever it isn't a slugfest of the highest order.

... and I defended him!!

When Freitas quit against Corrales, I was one of the first to say that people were overreacting. He had been dropped 3 times by a very hard puncher, and had likely watched his lead disappear in the process. Freitas had no answers for staying away from that power... and the - go out on your shield - mentality doesn't have to apply to everyone. That is why it is special when we do find in someone... such as Corrales himself.
However, now I think Freitas has presented new evidence. After quitting on his stool against Juan Diaz last Saturday, Popo has defintiely proved himself a quitter. The close fights he has pulled out were tactical battles (Casamayor and Raheem). When someone wants to get rough with him... he quits. Diaz had wobbled him in the 8th round, but at no time was this an unwinable fight for Freitas. All the "Baby Bull" had done was add a jab, and win 4 rounds in a row; pulling ahead on the scorecards.
Freitas could have begun doubling up the jab to counteract the damage Diaz was doing with his jab, and stood his ground for the next couple of rounds. This was the time when he needed to smack his young opponent with something to earn his respect. A puncher like Freitas could've accomplished this, if only he was willing to try.
Simply put, he has other things he can do (and is doing). Freitas is a promoter now, and doesn't seem to have the fighter's heart to match his ability. For a mulitple division beltholder, it is hard to stay motivated anyway, let alone when fighting is no longer the main way you are paying your bills.

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THIS WEEK: COMPLETE DE LA HOYA MAYWEATHER PRE-FIGHT DISCUSSION

Valuev - good riddance?

Ok, the Heavyweight division is no more interesting or American than it was before... but at least now, a fighter who wins with skill alone is holding a belt, and Universum now has no excuse not to make a unification between Chagaev and Klitschko. Valuev had skill, and was a hard worker.. but his rise to the top was marred by questionable judging, and his size bafflign opponents strategically. With Chagaev's win, Sauerland and King also both lose ground in the division, which is a good thing. Unification took a small half-step in the right direction. We are literally two fights away from possibly having the Klitschko brothers accomplish their dream of standing atop the heavyweight divsion alone. I'd pick W. Klitschko over Chagaev any day of the week. V. Klitshcko, if he has anything left, should also outbox Sam Peter fairly easily, should Peter win the title from Maskaev (which should almost certainly happen). Sure Briggs or Ibragimov would have the WBO belt, but would anyone care? Not me. I sure hope it's Briggs, though. At least a fight between he and a Klitschko would be interesting, and sell some tickets in the USA.

Warren vs. Palle... pissing contest about to start?

Ok, Frank and Bettina/Mogens. We get it. You have a ton of money, and can make a ton more... no matter who Mikkel Kessler or Joe Calzaghe fights. Here is the real question: Are you just showing off pocketbooks, or do you really want to make this fight happen? Jermain Taylor's request pretty much disqualifies him as a realistic option for Calzaghe... although who can blame him after watching Peter Manfredo get screwed by the officials in Calzaghe's backyard. For a guy like Taylor who likes fighting backwards, that has to be a big concern. This will not be an issue for Kessler, who prefers to move forward behind the solid one-two. In fact, there is not one issue to prevent this fight from happening, save for that of promoter egos. We're seeing it with Arum and Shaw over Vic Darchinyan's marketability, and here it starts again. The difference here, is that now Americans now know who both fighters are, and therefore a lot more fans really want this fight. Calzaghe can wait all he wants. He's not getting Taylor, Jones, Wright, or Hopkins in the ring, until he builds his price in the U.S. Those are big names not willing to concede what is necessary to go to the U.K. to make the fight. Kessler is high-risk, low reward for those big-name fighters as well... therefore there is no other big money option for either of them. Location is an issue as well, I guess... but one that can be solved easily. Put the fight on in Denmark, and let Calzaghe's team pick officials... or vice versa. There! Simple logic, point blank. The accusations of one promoter ducking the other have started already, but this boxing fan has had enough of it. The not being ready, not being reasonable excuses will not hold water this time. Make the fight! Or else, you will not be able to hide behind any rationalizations. You will have robbed the paying public of the fight they demanded, for business ego purposes. Let's be the hero this time, guys. The fans will not forget if you make this happen. They will also not forget if you don't. Don't believe me? Just remember, Roy Jones and Dariusz Michaelchewski still have to answer questions about each other from time to time.