Monday, June 19, 2006 | 7:04 a.m.
Diego Corrales did a lot Saturday night to heal the self-inflicted black eye on boxing that we hear so much about.
Corrales, the world lightweight champion and resident of Las Vegas, signed autographs, posed for photographs and chatted with boxing fans during a special promotion at the Palms race and sports book coinciding with the showing of the Winky Wright-Jermain Taylor fight from Memphis, Tenn.
His appearance - it was free and open to the public - helped draw an overflow crowd to the Palms and generated some much-needed goodwill for boxing, a sport that continually spars with rocky times even in its modern-day capital of Las Vegas.
Corrales, whose appearance fee amounted to no more than a meal and a hotel room, said his goal is to elevate boxing's popularity to the level enjoyed by fan-friendly sports such as professional auto racing.
"I would like to see the sport of boxing graduate to the next level," Corrales, 28, said. "Look at how popular the NBA and the NFL are. Look at NASCAR and soccer, two of the most popular sports around the world.
"I think boxing can reach that level, but I want to see more fighters become personally involved with the fans - to hang out, to meet with people at (events) like this."
Corrales also offered his commentary on Saturday's middleweight fight as Wright and Taylor fought to a 12-round draw in an engaging bout that had everyone in the race and sports book transfixed.
Well, almost everyone. If you were the guy paying more attention to the 10th race at Evangeline Downs than the 10th round at the FedEx Forum, please seek immediate help.
Sure, other casinos showed the fight. But the added attraction of Corrales' presence along with some prize drawings gave the Palms promotion some extra pizzazz, demonstrating that you can have a great Vegas fight night even when the fight itself isn't in Vegas.
"Hopefully it's something we'll do more of," said Palms sports book manager Rich Baccellieri, who coordinated the promotion with Fox Sports Radio 1460-AM.
Time and again Saturday night, fans told Corrales they supported him in the aftermath of his scheduled June 3 fight against Jose Luis Castillo, canceled when Castillo failed to make the 135-pound lightweight limit.
The bout would have been the third between the two men after a pair of sensational fights last year. Castillo also failed to make weight last October, but Corrales decided to fight anyway and lost by fourth-round knockout. This time, Corrales said enough was enough.
"Good for you" and "You did the right thing" were common refrains Saturday.
"I'm hearing nothing but appreciation," Corrales said. "I'm getting lots and lots of respect from the fans. Nobody was happy (that the fight was canceled), but the fans have been just great."
One of those fans was Jason Archuleta, 29, of Las Vegas, who became an even bigger Corrales loyalist after meeting him Saturday for the second time.
"The first time was in 2001 at Mandalay Bay, and he was so accessible then too," Archuleta said. "You could catch him at a Burger King, and he'd stop to talk, give you an autograph."
Corrales disagreed with the judges' scoring in the Wright-Taylor fight. He had Winky winning by a wide margin thanks to his superb defensive skills.
Wright went off as a plus-165 betting underdog at the Palms. Corrales revealed he also liked the underdog in another bout earlier this month: himself. Before the Castillo fight was called off, Corrales said he placed a rare wager on himself as a 2-1 underdog.
"I usually don't pay any attention to (the odds)," said Corrales, who is leaning toward a September return to the ring. "But I did last time. I saw they had me as an underdog, and I was like, cool."
Other big-name boxers with ties to Las Vegas should follow Corrales' lead and make similar appearances if they're given an opportunity. Even if, for some of them, it means forgoing a fancy appearance fee and settling for a dinner and a comped room.
Boxing needs fewer black eyes and more nights like Saturday at the Palms.
"I am hoping to get more boxers in here," Baccellieri said, "especially if they're like Diego."
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