- published: 15 Apr 2013
- views: 133695
Diego "Chico" Corrales (August 25, 1977 – May 7, 2007) was an American boxer.
He was the WBC, WBO, & The Ring lightweight champion, and the WBO & IBF super featherweight champion.
In 2005, Corrales received the prestigious The Ring & Boxing Writers Association of America's Fight of the Year awards for his acclaimed lightweight bout with José Luis Castillo.
Corrales was born in Columbia, South Carolina to a Colombian father and a Mexican mother. Corrales' early life was filled with violence; he was raised in the Oak Park section of Sacramento, was involved with street gangs at age 13, and witnessed his best friend's death via drive-by shooting. Corrales had a degree in culinary arts. He trained at "Sac Pal" (Sacramento Police Athletic League) Boxing Gym.
Corrales compiled an amateur boxing record of 105-12. In 1994, he took second place at the United States Amateur Championships, losing to Frankie Carmona on points in the featherweight final. He was a bronze medalist at featherweight in the 1995 Pan American Games. At lightweight, he lost in the 1995 World Championships in Berlin, Germany to Marco Rudolph.