CHICO CALLS OUT FLOYD... AND HATTON

[johnswan1]

Following his dramatic triumph over Mexico's WBC Lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo, Diego 'Chico' Corrales wants a second helping of Floyd Mayweather Jr, one division up - and then Ricky Hatton for dessert.

Corrales, who was in Mexico City, to be presented with the coveted green belt, praised Ricky Hatton for an outstanding victory against Kostya Tszyu, but he also warned the Hitman it will be a different story should he cross the Atlantic.

"Ricky is going to have to come on over to the United States to fight," he said. "Until that happens, he'll never really get the respect that he wants, even with his win over Tszyu. Ricky is a good dude - he's a great guy, and a great champion with real guts to do what he did with Tszyu. But he's got to come to the United States. It will define him in general, and make him the real McCoy.

"Really you've got to step out of your back yard. Lots of ten year olds are only tough when they're at home. But then you take them to school, and guess what. They're soft. I don't care where I fight. I'm from Sacramento, and I've only had two fights there in a career of 42 bouts.

"I'd love to fight Ricky, and why? Because Ricky Hatton is a very gutsy fighter, and against Tszyu, Ricky was awesome. He crowded and smothered him and never gave him a chance to get his shots off.

"I'd fight Ricky on the inside. I'm a much better technician concerning fighting on the inside. He's a good wrestler. He'll rough you up. I'd beat him to the body with some digs and I'd rough him right back.

"And I don't care if it takes two, ten or twelve. A win is a win, and for me a fight's a fight no matter where it is."

Diego's Promoter Gary Shaw, also wants a future dust-up with Ricky Hatton. He said: "As a matter of fact, I've been in negotiations with allegedly about a Hatton fight. I don't think it's going to happen right now, but if you said could it be in the next year, I'd say absolutely. But you can put this one in capital letters... RICKY HATTON DOES NOT BEAT DIEGO CORRALES."

Only two men have defeated Corrales. One was Joel Casamayor and he has already avenged that loss, but Mayweather stopped him, handing him his first ever loss back in 2001, and Diego is hungry, thirsty and bursting for revenge.

His winning smile vanished in an instant when the 'F' word was mentioned, and he warned: "Of course I want my revenge against Floyd, and I'll get my revenge. I don't care about the money. I want to fight Floyd because of my pride, because he took from me, something I've got to take from him. My first loss was to him. I want to give that back to him.

"Floyd is a very talented guy. To beat him you've not got to be afraid to open up when he opens up. Someone like myself, who loves to punch between punches. That's where I do most of my damage. I will hit you while you're throwing punches at me. I'm not afraid of being hit. You've not got to be afraid of being hit. Floyd's fast, so you're going to get a few shots. But you've got to open up when he opens up. Let it fly.

"The last time against Floyd, I didn't use my jab and I was very flat footed. Next time I'll add more jabs and feints, and make sure he walks into something. He always wants to counter everything you do."

Down twice in the 10th against Jose Luis Castillo, Diego spat out the mouth piece after his second visit to the canvass, and this meant a longer delay. He then rallied to stop Castillo.

He countered that he'd been hit low a number of times and never complained or called for time out. And that in the seventh he fought half of that round without his mouth piece.

And with another broad grin he confided: "Jose Luis is a great guy, and every time we're in the ring they'll be sparks flying. If we don't go to hospital after our next fight, we'll grab a beer together. We'll grab a couple of drinks. It'll be awesome. We'll split the tab."

Corrales v Castillo II, is scheduled for October 8th at the Thomas and Mack Center, with the WBC ordering the rematch, although Shaw explained it's not yet a done deal, with negotiations continuing.

[jamesmcdonnell]

"Really you've got to step out of your back yard. Lots of ten year olds are only tough when they're at home. But then you take them to school, and guess what. They're soft. I don't care where I fight. I'm from Sacramento, and I've only had two fights there in a career of 42 bouts.

If that's true, perhaps Diego should come and fight in Manchester

I take his point though, fighting in the states has always been the holy grail, though to be honest, I don't see anyone in America putting 22,000+ arses on seats like Ricky boy does....so perhaps the times are a-changing.

[ABA Boxing]

The last Tyson fight had 15000!
You would think they could get 22000 if they tried, why dont they get big gates?

[jamesmcdonnell]

I don't know, I think that in terms of live gates British boxing does better, there are very few fights which get big crowds in the states, probably because there aren't as many fighters with very large local followings, and a lot of fights are in big venues like Vegas, where neither fighter is on home turf.

Pacquaio is a very popular TV fighter, but when he fought Marquez, the venue was a quarter empty, and that only held 16,000.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

Aren't US fights more about PPVs though with the huge 250million population. Also do casinos pay to have the fights in order to get the gambling money? Theres more money in the US still I'd say. Although you get the best of both worlds having it on in US prime time and in Manchester

[pasty_spud]

big venues in vegas???????

the mgm grand garden boxing arena holds 17,000.
mandalay bay only holds 12,000

[Tantum]

300,000+ PPV's > 60,000 tickets (Which I doubt would ever happen anyways)

Case closed.