Diego Corrales – 1977-2007

Just a few days after one of boxing’s biggest shows, the sport has suffered a loss as former two-division world champion Diego “Chico” Corrales died in a motorcycle accident on Monday. He was 29.

Corrales, whose first loss came at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr., was a true warrior, whose toughness and will to win overshadowed his long frame and powerful right hand. Corrales’ come-from-behind stoppage of Jose Luis Castillo will be his legacy in the ring, showing a man who would never give up until the final bell.

“I just want to fight the top guys,” Corrales had said about his boxing career. “It is not about the money. You just want to see where you place. Where is your standing in your current time with all the best? The only way you can do that is by fighting the best, and that is what I do. I want to know where I place. Where do I rate with these guys? Am I really one of the best fighters out there, or am I a flash in the pan? So far, I have proved that I am one of the best out there, and I am fortunate for that. I am not a flash in the pan.”

Corrales would have fit in any era of boxing, and was a credit to the game. Corrales is survived by his wife, four children and a step-daughter.

–WKW