DIEGO CORRALES SR.: “PACQUIAO, HE'S VERY SPECIAL AND HE'S LIKE CHICO WAS”

“I think there is a lot of wannabes. There really isn’t nobody that’s special except for Manny Pacquiao. He’s very special and he’s like Chico was. When Chico was born, I knew he was a special kid. Manny is the same way,” stated Diego Corrales Sr., father of the late, great Diego “Chico” Corrales, as he reflected on his son’s career. It’s been over 3 years since the untimely passing of Corrales and his father recently sat down with FightHype’s own Percy Crawford to discuss the characteristics which made him a great fighter. In his opinion, current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is the only fighter today who exhibits those same qualities. “Manny has that same look in his eyes as Chico,” he commented. “He’s not coming to ask you to let him win; he’s coming to take his win. He outworks everybody and stays with it and that is what Chico did”

It was Floyd Mayweather Jr. who handed Diego Corrales his first loss, dropping him 5 times before the corner eventually threw in the towel in the 10th round. Although Corrales was on the canvas multiple times, he never appeared to be seriously hurt and was immediately back on his feet after each knockdown. It is that very same resiliency which gave Corrales his reputation of being a warrior in the ring. Corrales Sr. is of the opinion that had the fight continued, eventually, Diego would have knocked him out. “Floyd Mayweather Jr. beat Chico, but he only beat Chico because they threw the towel in. If that fight would have gone another 2 rounds, Chico was going to knock him out,” he added.

Of course, it should come as no surprise who Corrales Sr. favors if Mayweather and Pacquiao eventually do fight. “I like Manny in any fight that he’s in. I know the Mayweather family and they talk a lot and they can’t really back it up. Floyd Jr., however, is somewhat of a throwback to Ali. Ali would beat you before you even got in the ring with him. What he did is talked you out of your fight. Even if Ali knew you should beat him, he would talk so much that he would beat you before the hands got wrapped and before the gloves were put on. He just got inside of your head so far,” he remarked. “The thing with Manny Pacquiao is that Floyd can’t get there. Floyd don’t really want to fight him, so he’s doing what a Mayweather would do to get out of a fight. He doesn’t want to fight him.”