TAKE FIVE: CORRALES-CASTILLO III

Friday, June 2, 2006 | 7:21 a.m.

The principals

Jose Luis Castillo (54-7-1, 47 KOs) vs. Diego Corrales (40-3, 33 KOs)

At stake

WBC lightweight championship

Time/site

6 p.m. Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center. Doors open at 3:30 p.m.; first bout scheduled for 3:45 p.m.

Tickets

$50 to $600 at unlvtickets.com

Showtime, Cox cable channel 240 (9 p.m. tape-delayed in the West)

Featured undercard bout

Vic Darchinyan (25-0, 20 KOs) fights Luis Maldonado (33-0-1, 25 KOs) for Darchinyan's IBF flyweight championship

Betting line

Castillo, minus-250; Corrales, plus-200. Round proposition, over/under 8 1/2 rounds.

1. Three of a kind?

Their first fight, won by Corrales in May 2005 by a grueling 10th-round TKO, was an instant classic. The rematch last October was marred by Castillo's failure to make weight but was almost as satisfying, with Castillo scoring an impressive fourth-round knockout. Both fighters are well aware that Saturday's third encounter could secure the series' place in boxing history as one of the sport's great trilogies. "I think this third fight will be something special," Castillo, of Mexicali, Mexico, said. "If Corrales doesn't change his style and he fights the same way he did in the last two fights, this one will really be spectacular."

2. Slight weight problem

Although the first two bouts were held in Las Vegas, Castillo-Corrales III was originally slated to take place out in that west Texas town of El Paso - a change of venue probably designed to deflect all the attention being paid to Castillo's weight issue. The El Paso promotion was called off because of a training injury sustained by Corrales, so Castillo is back in Las Vegas - and, predictably, fielding nonstop questions about his weight. "It gets bothersome," said Castillo, set to step onto the scale today at Caesars Palace.

3. Show goes on

Corrales handled the weight controversy with dignity, graciously insisting that the fight proceed as scheduled last time around. But he also insists that those few extra pounds played a role in the outcome. His mantra has been that Castillo proved nothing except that he's a very strong welterweight. "Obviously he had a big advantage," Corrales, of Las Vegas by way of Sacramento, said. "Otherwise, they would not have weight divisions, and guys would just fight at whatever weight they wanted. Nonetheless, I will take nothing from him. He landed great shots."

4. Floyd factor

Both fighters have losses to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on their dossier - Corrales in 2001 and Castillo twice in 2002 - and neither man has ruled out seeking another shot against "Pretty Boy," the consensus best fighter in boxing, pound for pound. Castillo plans to move up to the junior welterweight division, promoter Bob Arum said, and could face 140-pound star Miguel Cotto later this year. Corrales' next move is uncertain. "I want to sit back, grab a title and fight the best fights in (the lightweight) division, and then when it is all done, then I move up," he said.

5. Game plans

Castillo is brashly predicting another KO victory. "I know I'm going to knock him out. I can feel it. I just know it," Castillo said. "I'm out to knock him out, to destroy Corrales." Corrales has hinted he'll rely on ring smarts and perhaps a revamped strategy Saturday night. Like his opponent, Corrales knows this could be another one for the ages. "We bring the electricity and excitement boxing was missing," he said. "We've brought it back in the trilogy."