Diego "Chico"Corrales (August 25, 1977 - May 7, 2007) was an American professional boxer who held the WBC, WBO and The Ring magazine lightweight titles, as well as the WBO and IBF super featherweight titles.

In 2005, Corrales received the prestigious Fight of the Year award by both The Ring and the Boxing Writers Association of America for his acclaimed first bout with Jose Luis Castillo.

Early life

Corrales was born in Sacramento, California to a Colombian father, Diego Corrales Sr. and a Mexican mother. Corrales' early life was filled with violence: he was raised in the Oak Park section of Sacramento, was involved with street gangs at age 13, and witnessed his best friend's death via drive-by shooting. Corrales had a degree in culinary arts. He trained at "Sac Pal" (Sacramento Police Athletic League) Boxing Gym.

Amateur career

Corrales compiled an amateur boxing record of 105-12. In 1994, he took second place at the United States Amateur Championships, losing to Frankie Carmona on points in the featherweight final. He was a bronze medalist at featherweight in the 1995 Pan American Games. At lightweight, he lost in the 1995 World Championships in Berlin, Germany to Marco Rudolph.

Professional career

Super Featherweight

Corrales vs Mayweather

On January 20, 2001, Corrales challenged Ring No. 2 ranked Super Featherweight and #7 Pound-For-Pound Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the WBC super featherweight title and recorded his first knockdown and first loss. In the bout, Mayweather knocked down Corrales five times (three times in the seventh round and twice in the tenth). After the fifth knockdown, Corrales' corner stopped the fight, despite Corrales' protests.

Shortly after the Mayweather fight, Corrales served 14 months in prison after opting for a plea bargain on charges he faced for abusing his pregnant wife, Maria.

Lightweight

Corrales vs Freitas

On August 7, 2004, Corrales fought former two time Super Featherweight champion and current WBO Lightweight champion, Acelino Freitas, who came into the bout unbeaten. Corrales won the fight, via TKO in the tenth round, making Corrales a two weight champion. Freitas won the early rounds, but by the later rounds he was visibly tired and began to be caught by Corrales. After rising from his third knockdown, Freitas walked away from the referee and quit.

Corrales vs Castillo I

On May 7, 2005, Corrales defeated WBC and Ring Lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo via TKO in the tenth round, giving Corrales his forth title in 2 weight classes. The fight is almost universally regarded as the best fight of 2005. Both men stood in front of each other, battering each other with hard combinations and power punches throughout the entire fight. Finally, in the tenth round, Castillo knocked Corrales down. Seconds later, Castillo knocked Corrales down again. Once on the ground, Corrales managed to beat the count, and, after a point was taken away for excessive spitting out of the mouthpiece, Corrales connected with a punch that Castillo later called "a perfect right hand." Corrales then trapped Castillo against the ropes and landed numerous punches, causing the referee, Tony Weeks, to stop the fight.

Corrales vs Castillo II

A rematch between Corrales and Castillo occurred on October 8, 2005. On the day before the fight, Castillo weighed in 3.5 lb over the 135 lb lightweight limit. Since Castillo did not make the weight, the fight became a non-title bout. The two fighters continued with the same fighting style that they had used in the first fight, trading inside punches throughout the first three rounds.