ESPN Boxing

Originally Published: October 1, 2005

Experts: Two pick Corrales, one Castillo in rematch

ESPN.com asked Joel Casamayor -- who has fought both Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo -- and other experts to predict the outcome of the rematch.

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By Joseph Santoliquito
Special to ESPN.com

How do you improve on perfection? You don't.

Casamayor

Lazcano

But lightweight champion Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo will make an attempt Saturday (Showtime PPV, 9 ET), when the two face each other again at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center. In May, these lightweights put on an epic battle that Corrales won with a miraculous 10th round TKO. In that round, Corrales rallied from two solid Castillo left hooks that floored him.

Can the sequel -- now a non-title bout because of Castillo's failure to make weight Friday -- equal the original's fireworks?

ESPN.com asked some experts who have insights on the fighters to pick a winner of the rematch.

Joel Casamayor is one of two fighters -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. being the other -- to have faced both Corrales and Castillo. The Cuban expatriate stopped Corrales in the sixth round in October, 2003, but lost a 12-round split-decision in the rematch. Casamayor also extended Castillo on December, 2004, but dropped a split decision.

"It'll be a good fight again," said Casamayor through a translator.

"But Castillo is going to win. I think Castillo will knock out Corrales in the rematch. Corrales doesn't have a chin, and everyone knows Corrales won the first fight by a miracle. Besides, Castillo is too strong for Corrales.

"These guys will fight the same way as they did the first time. It's the only way they know to fight. They don't how to move, they don't know how to duck out of the way of a punch. Castillo does hit harder with long punches, but I do have to say Corrales is a better short puncher, especially his short left hook. I can still see Castillo knocking him out in the fifth or sixth round though. Only a miracle that happened the last time can make Corrales win."

Trainer Buddy McGirt differs with Casamayor's assessment.

"It's an interesting fight, but I think that Corrales can make it a much easier fight with his height, reach and boxing ability," said McGirt, fresh off of directing Antonio Tarver to a victory last weekend over Roy Jones in their third fight.

"Corrales can make it look like a good fight without making it a war. He should have learned all he has to do is box, and Castillo learned you can't stay in front of Corrales, because it won't matter how much you think you have him hurt, Corrales is always dangerous.

"If I was Corrales, he has that snap on his punches and the height to really hurt Castillo from the outside. Corrales will fight a technical fight this time, and Castillo will put on pressure, though more controlled pressure. I still think it will be a great fight. I'd have to take Corrales this time, based on his boxing ability."

Juan Lazcano, a lightweight contender, once faced Castillo, losing by split-decision on December 4, 2004. But he knows Corrales quite well. He anticipates a more strategic fight this time.

"I think that it's going to be another exciting fight, but not as explosive as the first," Lazcano said.

"For one, with Corrales' history, he'll change his strategy, like he did in his second fight against Casamayor. Castillo will bring a rock solid chin and he'll come forward again. As far as Castillo is concerned, he wants the same fight as the first fight. That's who is, that's his style. Corrales was fighting Castillo's fight the first time, and though he won, he suffered a lot of damage and suffered some hard, hard hits. That won't be the case this time."

Then Lazcano, known as "The Hispanic Causing Panic," made an interesting point. He wonders how the lightweight Leavander's Johnson's recent death due to brain trauma might have an impact on this fight.

"Corrales is expecting a baby and he doesn't want die any time soon, so you better believe that changes a fighter's perspective," Lazcano said.

"Fighters are human and emotional. With what happened to Leavander Johnson, in Vegas, I'm sure Corrales's wife (Michelle) has talked to him about this fight. When you get into that ring, you are like a soldier with a gun. Punches are weapons and when used right, they can cause a lot of damage to a human being. How much more can these guys take?"

Corrales has the more effective jab, Lazcano said, and that should give Castillo trouble.

"In the end, because Corrales showed he can change his style, I'd have to go with Corrales this time," Lazcano said.

"Castillo will be Castillo, hard to fight on the inside, but Corrales can pump that jab and let him see other angles. They will intertwine eventually, but I like Corrales by a slight margin. It's very possible it could be a stoppage again. Castillo is thinking 'How dare they take that first fight away from me,' so it will be interesting."

Joseph Santoliquito is the managing editor of Ring Magazine.