08.05.07 – Diego Corrales (40-5, 33 KO’s), a former world super featherweight and lightweight champion, died on Monday, after crashing his motorcycle in Las Vegas, Nevada. Based on reports, Corrales, 29, crashed his 2007 Suzuki 1000 motorcycle into the back of a Honda Accord, which was driving in front of him, knocking him into oncoming traffic going the opposite direction. He was then struck by a Mercedes, which was unable to stop before hitting him.
Corrales, 29, is widely known for his 10-round destruction of Acelino Freitas in 2004, and his two fierce battles with Jose Luis Castillo in 2005, where he won the WBC lightweight title, only to lose it in the second fight. In 2007, unable to comfortably make the lightweight limit, he moved up to the welterweight division, losing a punishing 12-round decision to Joshua Clottey. Never one to take the easy way, Corrales chose to fight Clottey, a top welterweight, instead of gradually working his way up in class after Corrales moved to the welterweight division.
Diego Corrales – August 25, 1977 – May 7, 2007
R.I.P. “Chico”