Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2003 | 9:07 a.m.
It isn't every man who can come out of prison after a 13-month stay without a chip on his shoulder, let alone seem as cheerful as he did as a teenager.
But that seems to be the case with Diego Corrales, who was delightful as a teen in the early portion of his boxing career and is just as enthusiastic as he heads into a big fight Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Corrales, 26, has had his trials, tribulations and setbacks, yet his personal life has stabilized and his professional career is positioned to take off -- again.
He'll fight former Olympic gold medalist and world champion Joel Casamayor in a 12-round bout at 130 pounds. The main event between Evander Holyfield and James Toney will follow and headline the pay-per-view card.
Corrales says he's ready for the challenge and a visit with him Tuesday proved he was in good spirits.
"I'm havin' a great time," he said, flitting between interviewers before getting into the ring to work out. He's a minus 135 betting favorite in the sports book at Mandalay Bay, with Casamayor a plus 115.
"He's personable, almost diplomatic," said trainer Kenny Adams, who rejoined Corrales earlier this year after the fighter served a prison term for spousal abuse. Corrales has since remarried and his new wife, Michelle, gets much of the credit for his positive outlook on life.
"I can't be (bitter)," Corrales said, when asked how he avoided changing for the worse after more than a year in a California jail. "The people who come out and are bitter or sour are beaten.
"I can't afford to be beaten. Yes, I had a tough stretch and, yes, it's taken me a lot of hard work to get to this frame of mind, but I can say things like that with a smile. It gives me pride."
Corrales is 37-1 with 31 knockouts and once held the International Boxing Federation junior lightweight title. But his manager at the time, Cameron Dunkin, led him to relinquish the crown in a move that paved the way for a second client, Steve Forbes, to fight for the vacant title.
Neither Dunkin nor Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who has been replaced by Gary Shaw, plays a role in Corrales' life today.
"I think he had a right to be angry with them for a while," Adams said of the managerial and promotional team that Corrales has since dismissed. "He trusted people and they didn't do all the things for him that they were supposed to.
"I think prison taught him to live and let live. He's a man now, whereas he was a boy before.
"It's not that he's completely different, but now he accepts responsibility and he doesn't stay out drinking and things like that like he once did.
"Prison didn't hurt him. He's much more mature than he once was."
At a lanky 6-foot, Corrales is big for the junior lightweight division yet comfortable with the demands. He'll have a 7-inch height advantage on Casamayor and has been at or near his target weight for almost a month.
He expects to stay in the division long enough to regain a world championship, then move to 135 or maybe 140. At his present weight, attractive fights with Erik Morales and Acelino Freitas could become big-money bouts.
Both he and Casamayor are getting $200,000 for this one.
"I don't know why Casamayor's people took this fight unless it was for the money," Adams said. "Of course, they feel he can win. They have to feel that way.
"But I think Casamayor has started to look old."
Casamayor, 32, is 29-1 with 18 KOs. His only loss was to Freitas 20 months ago in Las Vegas.
"I have to look at him as a person who can and will give me the toughest fight of my life," Corrales said of his upcoming opponent. "But he is older and he hasn't looked as strong as he once did.
"Maybe he just needs someone to push him (into retirement). Maybe I can be that guy."
Corrales has fought four times this year, although none of those fights went past five rounds and each had a mismatch look to it from the get-go. But Casamayor, even an aging Casamayor, presents a stern test.
"I have to come out and assert myself," Corrales said. "I have to pressure him early, because, if I don't, he's going to try and take control.
"I can't let that happen. I know he'll be a tough nut to crack, but sometimes the toughest nuts are the most tasty."
Corrales, who has moved with Michelle to Las Vegas, was close to stardom earlier in his career. A pro fighter since the age of 18, he was on a wonderful winning streak until losing by 10th-round TKO to Floyd Mayweather Jr. two years ago.
Wins against Roberto Garcia, John Brown, Derrick Gainer and Angel Manfredy preceded the fight with Mayweather, who remains Corrales' chief rival. Mayweather mocked Corrales for the spousal-abuse charge that was hanging over him at the time of their fight, and Corrales would like to avenge that slap in the face and loss no matter what weight Mayweather chooses.
"That's the guy we want, eventually," Adams said.
Corrales realizes that fight, if it ever materializes, is probably a year or two away. In the interim he's eying Morales and/or Freitas for next spring.
"The public can make those fights happen," he said. "I hope to fight 'em both because they're big reasons I'm fighting at 130."
With that he bounded off, a TV crew awaiting. Neither sour nor beaten, he was where every fighter longs to be.
After 13 months behind bars, he appreciated the positive attention.
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