Columnist Jeff Haney: Castillo calls for rematch against Corrales

Thursday, May 12, 2005 | 8:58 a.m.

Jeff Haney covers boxing for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at (702) 259-4041 or haney@lasvegassun.com.

Jose Luis Castillo reiterated his desire for a rematch against Diego "Chico" Corrales on Wednesday, but Corrales' handlers were in no hurry to make one.

"I think there is still a lot of doubt about who is the best lightweight," Castillo said on a conference call. "Let's do it again."

Castillo and Corrales engaged in a grueling 10-round lightweight title unification bout Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center that is rightfully being hailed as one of the most competitive and exciting fights in boxing history.

Corrales regained his composure after sustaining two 10th-round knockdowns to score a technical knockout later in the same round by beating Castillo senseless against the ropes.

A replay of the fight will air on Showtime (Cox cable channel 240) at 11 p.m. Friday.

Corrales (40-2, 33 knockouts) won Castillo's WBC lightweight belt to add to his WBO title.

"We talked to the WBC and they're behind us," Castillo (52-7-1, 46 KOs) said. "We're hoping to get a direct rematch with Diego. We're not going to fight anybody else. ... Hopefully we can get a rematch by November."

Corrales' promoter Gary Shaw and his trainer Joe Goossen were critical of officials with Top Rank, which promotes Castillo, saying they should handle their request for a rematch in a less-confrontational manner.

"Top Rank are sore losers," Shaw said. "You notice (Top Rank boss) Bob Arum is not on this (conference) call -- he's probably at breakfast with (WBC president) Jose Sulaiman trying to get an immediate rematch ordered. I think that would be terrible for boxing. ...

"If it happens again, it will happen because Team Corrales believes it's the right thing to happen."

Immediately after the fight, Arum had complained that Corrales purposely spit out his mouthpiece after the second knockdown to gain extra time while it was rinsed and replaced. Corrales was assessed one penalty point for spitting out the mouthpiece.

"I'm very disturbed anyone would raise all this petty stuff," Goossen said. "If you want to fight Diego again, just ask for a rematch. Don't sully this fight by throwing in petty stuff like that."

Corrales said he never doubted his ability to rally back, even after the second knockdown in the now-legendary 10th round.

"My spirit was still in it," Corrales said. "I still knew I could win that fight. I had all the heart, all the desire. ...

"I threw a counter right hand and I remember thinking, oh my God, he's hurt. ... (Then) I hit him with a couple hooks -- it was a clean, clean left hook, the first one, and he buckled. ... I knew he was pretty much done when his hands went down to his sides."

Goossen praised referee Tony Weeks for calling a stop to the fight when he did, at 2:06 of the 10th round, with Castillo out on his feet against the ropes.

"Tony Weeks did an incredible job," Goossen said. "This kid (Castillo) was something Diego never was -- he was defenseless and helpless against the ropes. ... He would have ended up in critical condition at least."

Castillo, solidifying his reputation as one of the toughest men in sports, said he has already recovered nicely.

"Physically I feel great," he said. "I'm still a little sore from the fight, but other than that I'm fine. I'm looking forward to doing it again."

Orleans card

Undefeated Leopoldo Gonzalez of Tijuana meets Samuel Lopez of Phoenix in a 12-round bantamweight fight Friday night in the main event of a seven-bout card presented by Guilty Boxing at the Orleans.

Gonzalez, a hard hitter, is 13-0 with nine knockouts while slick and stylish Lopez is 15-3 with five KOs in a textbook matchup between a puncher and a boxer.

"(Lopez) is a very tough little guy," said matchmaker Jimmy Montoya, who is aligned with Lopez. "He can box very well, and he can punch too.

"If you take a look at his record, you can see he's a kid who is going places."

Lopez, 31, is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision against Marcos Israel Badillo last September in Stockton, Calif.

"He's serious and very dedicated," Montoya said of Lopez. "He takes his training very seriously. He has the credentials to become a world champion."

Gonzalez, 21, has five victories on Guilty cards, including a 10-round unanimous decision against Arturo Bracamontes in Tijuana in his most recent outing in March.

In the featured undercard bout, middleweights Jose Juan Vasquez (14-1-1, 8 KOs) of San Juan, P.R., meets Ricardo Olmeda (19-4, 14 KOs) of Guasave, Mexico, in a scheduled 10-rounder.

Doors open at the Orleans Arena at 6 p.m. with the first bell scheduled for 6:30. Tickets are $25 and $35.

The card will be televised on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Dos.

Plaza card

Separate fights featuring James McGirt Jr. (6-0, 2 KOs), son of former world champ Buddy McGirt, and unbeaten Las Vegan Melinda Cooper (14-0, 9 KOs) highlight a card at the Plaza on Friday night that will air on Telemundo.

The main event, an IBF mandatory bantamweight elimination bout, pits Silence Mabuza (17-0, 15 KOs) against Cruz Carvajal (25-12-1, 21 KOs).

Tickets are $25 and $40 with the first fight scheduled for 6 p.m.