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Photo © Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
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Boxing fans around the world were eagerly awaiting the third fight between Diego ‘Chico’ Corrales, and Jose Luis Castillo. Unfortunately for us Corrales was injured in training and the fight was postponed, but fear not boxing fans Saturday’s fight between Castillo, 53-7-1 (47), and Rolando Reyes, 26-3-2 (16), should be a decent scrap.
Castillo, one of the truest warriors in the sport and a hero to his countrymen, is one of the most well known and beloved fighters in boxing. Over the last few years he has fought a veritable whose who of top fighters, such as Floyd Mayweather Jr., Diego Corrales, Joel Casamayor, Julio Diaz and Juan Lazcano. Aside from Mayweather, Castillo holds wins over all of these fighters, surely securing him an eventual place in the Hall of Fame. On Saturday Castillo, staying true to form, is taking on more then just an easy journeyman in the guise of Reyes. Reyes will come to win, and Castillo has a third fight against Corrales on the line. Castillo should employ effective counter punching from the outside with vicious inside fighting to break down and slow down the taller and longer Reyes. Reyes will try to use his reach and height, but as we saw against Corrales, Castillo can effectively negate those advantages and force a fight more to his liking.
Reyes is no slouch, and is not just some stand in to be written off as a human punching bag in a sleeper bout. Reyes has quality wins over Courtney Burton and Omar Bernal. That being said neither fighter is anywhere near the level of Castillo, but that does not mean that Reyes cannot make for an entertaining fight. Reyes should use his height and reach to make this an outside fight. The last thing Reyes wants is to be drawn into a war against the harder hitting Castillo. Long punches and distance is the key if Reyes wants to win this fight. Reyes will also need to be careful, making sure not to stay in one place too long, and making sure to keep Castillo moving.
I see this fight as being an entertaining scrap while it lasts. Reyes knows he is in with his toughest opponent yet, and will try to play it safe from the outside. Eventually Castillo’s skill and power will be too much for Reyes, as he effectively counter punches the younger fighter, and eventually forces exchanges. Castillo will bang to the body effectively, slowing down, and tiring out his opponent. As the fight goes on Reyes will become an easier target, eventually leading to a Castillo win by stoppage.
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2006
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By Julian Kasdin (Februaury 4, 2006) 
