Matt Ortega

Brutality is what brings fans to the game. Savagery is what has made boxing great. It has elegant moments and it has savage moments. But it’s still a great game. One on one it can be beautiful.

-Diego “Chico” Corrales
former two-division boxing champion
(August 25, 1977 - May 7, 2007)

Three years ago today, Corrales defeated José Luis Castillo in a brutal, come-from-behind, 10 round war for the WBC lightweight title that will certainly go down as one of the greatest ever.

One year ago today, Corrales was killed in a three-vehicle motorcycle accident on the Las Vegas strip.

Corrales, 29, will be remembered as one of the fiercest fighters of his era, a never-say-die warrior who thrilled legions of fans with several action-packed fights.

Watch the tenth and final round:

In the lead up to the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania two weeks ago, each candidate made their case why they were the Rocky Balboa in the presidential hunt. The constant chatter among political pundits created an itch that was finally scratched this afternoon when HBO aired the sixth and final installment in the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa. (It was my second time seeing the film.)

Rocky Balboa featured a number of references to the previous films as well as actors Burt Young as “Uncle Paulie” and Tony Burton as “Tony ‘Duke’ Evers,” Rocky’s trainer, reprising their roles. Check out the training scene from the 2006 film with “Gonna Fly Now” composed by Bill Conti in the background:

Fifty-four years ago, my father’s uncle, Johnny Ortega, knocked out Tommy Rhett in the eighth round to capture the California State Flyweight championship in front of 1,753 at the Richmond Auditorium. Below is a copy of the Humboldt Standard from the morning after the fight, April 23, 1954, and includes a quick write-up of the fight.