BOXING: CORRALES SHOWS HEART KNOCKED DOWN TWICE, HE RALLIES FOR TKO.

Byline: Robert Morales Staff Writer

LAS VEGAS - Diego Corrales, no matter what he does the rest of his career, will go down as one of the most courageous fighters of all time based on his performance Saturday in an absolutely savage fight against Jose Luis Castillo.

Corrales, his face a lumpy mess, was knocked down twice in the 10th round and appeared to be on his way to certain defeat. Not only did he get up, Corrales came all the way back and showed his mettle by earning a technical knockout at 2:06 of the round.

Corrales (40-2, 33 KOs) retained his World Boxing Organization lightweight title and took Castillo's World Boxing Council belt in front of 5,168 fans at Mandalay Bay.

``I'm going to go ice my face and get some sleep,'' Corrales, 27, of Sacramento, said afterward.

Corrales was ahead by one point on one scorecard and by three on another. Castillo was ahead by three points on the other card. The Daily News had Castillo ahead by a point.

The 10th round began with Castillo dropping Corrales with a left hook early. Corrales' mouthpiece fell out and he batted it away. He gained a few seconds to recover while it was being re-inserted.

Castillo dropped Corrales again with a two-punch combination and this time Corrales took out his mouthpiece in an attempt to gain even more time to recover. He got to a knee, waited for referee Tony Weeks to count to eight, then rose. But Weeks took a point from Corrales for purposely taking out the mouthpiece.

Corrales then returned fire when no one in the arena thought he could. He first hurt Castillo with a right hand, then with a left. Castillo came back with a right to Corrales' head, but Corrales attacked Castillo on the ropes. He landed four vicious punches - two rights and two lefts - to the head and Castillo appeared out on his feet. His hands were by his side, his chin was in the air. He was defenseless, and Weeks stopped the fight.

Corrales' trainer, Joe Goossen, leaped into the ring and rushed to embrace Corrales, whose face had been beaten to a pulp.

``I had been waiting for the chance to show my will and show that I'm a warrior,'' Corrales said. ``It was a war of attrition and I was big and tough. It was a great honor to be in there with a great champion.''

That Corrales even got up from the second knockdown was amazing. Many had counted him out after he was sent crashing to the canvas by Castillo.

Everyone but Corrales.

``It was a great shot, right on the button,'' Corrales said. ``I knew I was going to get up. I got on my knees for a few seconds and I got up and moved.''

Castillo, of Sonora, Mexico, is 52-7-1. He was attempting to make his third title defense. In his mind, the fight should not have been stopped.

``I thought the referee gave him all kinds of chances, but didn't give me the same chances, but that's boxing,'' said Castillo, 31. ``I was hurt. I'm not saying I wasn't hurt. But I still think I had a chance.''

In an undercard bout, Juan Manuel Marquez (44-2-1) pounded out a lopsided decision over Victor Polo (34-5-3) to retain his World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation featherweight belts.

Robert Morales, [phone], Ext. 2213

robert.morales(at)sgvn.com

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Photo:

Diego Corrales, right, finishes off Jose Luis Castillo as referee Tony Weeks steps in to stop the fight in the 10th round.

Matthew Minard/Associated Press