In the co-featured bout of a world
championship doubleheader that
begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on
the west coast) from Mandalay Bay
Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.,
rising superstar Vic 'The Raging
Bull' Darchinyan (26-0, 21 KOs) will
risk his International Boxing
Federation/International Boxing
Organization (IBF/IBO) flyweight
crowns and his undefeated record
against world-ranked Glenn 'The
Filipino Bomber' Donaire (16-2-1,
nine KOs).
Corrales: We had a great camp. I'm
looking forward to going to Las
Vegas and going to war. I have had a
nice long break. The year off has
done my body very well. I have had a
rough go at it the last few years,
especially with (Jose Luis)
Castillo. My body feels great and I
am looking forward to closing the
book on this chapter with Casamayor.
Casamayor: I feel strong. I am just
waiting for the bell to ring Oct. 7.
On Oct. 7, we are going to war.
Question: Diego, you are going into
this fight with a nice long layoff.
How will it help'
Corrales: I have had a few camps in
between. But, the layoff has given
my body a chance to heal. I feel
great.
Question: Casamayor has let his
feelings known about you. What do
you think'
Corrales: He (Casamayor) doesn't
have to like me. We are going to
fight.
Question: You go in to put on a show
and sometimes sacrifice some of your
natural skills to do so. What is
your approach going in to this
fight'
Corrales: I am going to do my job
and I don't care how the 'W' comes.
I don't care if it's in one round,
two rounds or 12 rounds.
Question: What lessons did you draw
from the two Castillo fights'
Corrales: I learned to sit back,
play it smart and take my time. Let
mistakes come to me. That is one
thing I didn't do. I expect a
different game plan from him, and I
will have to adjust as well. He is
going to make alterations to his
game plan. That will make me do the
same to mine.
Casamayor: I learned that this guy
(Corrales) comes one direction:
forward. He is a one-dimensional
fighter. I can beat him any way. I
feel like I won both fights. I know
him like my own son.
Question: Joel, most of the
blemishes on your record seem to be
controversial or close decisions.
Have you changed anything to avoid
that'
Casamayor: I don't see this fight
going the distance. We're going to
war and Corrales won't see the 12th
round. We come to fight. The
knockout will come.
Corrales: I predict a great fight.
Question: Diego, what do you think
about Casamayor saying your chin is
weak'
Corrales: I don't care. He can say
whatever he wants. He is going to be
in the ring and get a chance to
prove it on Oct. 7.
Question: Joel and Diego, where does
the bad blood come from'
Casamayor: Corrales talks a lot of
garbage about me. I am going to put
the mouthpiece through his mouth
again. He loses every time he fights
in October and he will again. He
talks a lot of trash about my
family. If he wants to fight on the
street too, we can do that.
Corrales: I never brought anybody's
family into this. You guys can pump
this kids head with lies and I will
deflate them Oct. 7.
Question: Diego, has the layoff
helped you'
Corrales: The layoff has been
awesome. It was a needed break. I
had camps in between to stay sharp.
I am happy, my body feels good. I
will continue to put on great shows.
Oct. 7 will be the same thing. I
have one job Oct. 7, and it's Joel
Casamayor.
Question: Joel, you already fought
with Corrales twice. What will you
do this time'
Casamayor: I will be more emotional
in the ring than I am on the phone.
I am not a boxer by phone. I am a
boxer in the ring.
Question: Diego, can you talk about
how you were focused on Castillo and
did not get the fight. Are you still
angry' Will you fight him down the
road'
Corrales: I have moved forward. It's
done. All in all, it is what it is.
I can't see me fighting him again.
He wasted a lot of my time, my work
and my efforts. What's the point of
fighting him again'
Question: I saw you on television
saying that Casamayor didn't look
good and you probably wouldn't fight
him. What got us to this point'
Corrales: Once the sparks flew on
TV, the fight was going to have to
happen.
Question: Diego and Joel, both of
you have been in tough fights. Is it
plausible that those tough fights
have taken something out of you'
Corrales: Tough fights take
something away from you, but they
make you a better fighter. But, I
have probably taken a lot more out
of them than anything else.
Casamayor: Every fight is a tough
fight. From the beginning, all you
can do is prepare yourself for
anything. Oct. 7, we are going to
win clearly. There will be no
questions.
Question: Diego, will this be your
last fight as a lightweight'
Corrales: Who knows' That decision
falls on Gary Shaw. He will point
the finger, and I will go and
attack. My job is not fun or easy,
so that's that.
Question: Considering the tough
fights, hoe does that affect you
going into this fight'
Corrales: I have been fighting at a
high level. I am comfortable and
confident.
Question: The first two fights were
at 130 pounds. This is at 135. Will
Casamayor be that strong'
Corrales: Time will tell. Depends on
how his body works. I cannot answer
that question.
Question: Joel, are there any
concerns of physical decrease after
all of your wars'
Casamayor: I feel strong, better
than I have ever felt. I'll be
stronger, faster. I will be a lot
stronger at 135 pounds.
Question: If the fight is close, do
you think you can win a close
decision against Corrales in Las
Vegas'
Casamayor: I know I won't, so I
won't let it go that far. In all my
fights, I get robbed. I am fighting
against Las Vegas, Corrales, the
judges, Joe Cortez.
Question: Diego, will the referee
play an important part in this
fight'
Corrales: The only part he (the
referee) may play is in keeping
Casamayor's head off of my head.
Question: Diego, where does Floyd
Mayweather Jr. sit on your radar'
Corrales: That is the one fight I
have never gotten back. Time will
tell, but I'd love to do it again.
Darchinyan: I am in the U.S.A.
already. I am focused on training
and its going very well.
Donaire: I am very excited for this
opportunity. This time, I can really
show myself. I just can't wait. All
my opponents have been moving around
lately. I don't run, I don't slug. I
like to throw. I am really hitting
hard right now.
Question: Glenn, considering all of
the success of the 'ShoBox'
fighters, how much of a confidence
booster is that'
Donaire: It's great. I am more
prepared now. Before, I was working
too much. I have been training so
hard. I am very excited about this.
Question: Vic, considering that all
four heavyweight champions are from
the Eastern Bloc, what is going on
over there'
Darchinyan: It is different training
we do over there. It is more
running, more hills, more sparring.
We spar for 10-15 rounds. It is
different.
Question: Vic and Glenn, how is
sparing going'
Darchinyan: Sparring is good. I am
sparring with guys 25 pounds heavier
than me. I am punching well. I feel
my power right now. If Donaire
trades with me, he will lose.
Donaire: Darchinyan does not have a
style. He waits for the lucky punch
with his left hand. This Oct. 7, he
will see. He can be strong, but I
will beat him.
Darchinyan: You are talking about my
left. How about I knock you out with
my right'
Question: Glenn, is Darchinyan the
true champion'
Donaire: Yes, he is. Darchinyan's
past opponents have been intimidated
by him. Not me.
Darchinyan: I wanted to fight
Donaire because he challenged me. He
said he can beat me.
Question: Glenn, how will you
prepare to step up and face your
toughest opponent'
Donaire: Well, sparing with my
brother alone is tough. I am
training to a point where I can't
throw any more. Every time I fight,
I always fight people that are
better. The guys that have faced
Darchinyan have been intimated. I
knew Diosdado Gabi was going to get
knocked out. You could see he was
intimated from the start. I won't
be.
Question: Vic, Donaire sounds
confident. How will you not overlook
him'
Darchinyan: I know he is sparring
with his brother. I am coming after
him too.
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