Question: How difficult is it for you to make weight this time around? "It has been very difficult every week having people coming in to check my weight, making sure that I am where I am supposed to be.  The day of the weigh-in is one day before and I know I am going to make the weight, but it has been difficult having to set up these dates that they come and weigh me every week or so.  It has been hard for me."

Question:                The first fight was such a great fight, and the second fight you won by a knockout.  Do you think that in any way not making weight in the rematch takes away from this trilogy as far as how the fans view it and how it will go down in history? 

Castillo:                   No.  Both fights have been full of controversy.  Normal things do not happen in my fights.  Not making the weight does not normally happen to me.  It happened, it is over with, and now we are moving on to the third fight and I am sure that I am going to make the weight and there will be no controversy for this third fight.

Question:                What do you see in the future as far as what weight division you plan to fight in?

Castillo:                   It all depends on where the good fights are.  I think I can go up to junior lightweight and even welterweight if need be to get a good fight.

Question:                What sorts of things are you doing differently in this training camp to make the weight as opposed to what happened in the last training camp when you were unable to make the weight?

Castillo:                   Last time I got hurt about 10-12 days out of the fight. I was not able to do what I wanted to do. I think everyone knows I was not 100 percent. But this time around I am perfect.  We have taken care of making sure we do not get into too much trouble with the sparring.  They have been coming here every week to check my weight, so I have been taking care of it and making sure I am on the right diet and making the weight that I need to make.

Question:                How are you able to concentrate on the boxing part of this camp when so much of your energy and focus has been on making sure you hit 135?

Castillo:                   It has been hard because everyone has been talking about the weight. Anyone that comes to camp, that is all they want to know. It has been difficult to keep my focus on the fight.  But I also know that it is going to be a real tough fight and that I need to be ready for it and that I will be ready for it.

Question:                After what happened in the last fight, what is being done this time to ensure that it is not going to happen again? 

Arum:                          There are extreme penalties that are imposed by SHOWTIME Network and the Nevada Commission that make it virtually impossible that the fight would not take place on weight. Jose Luis has a history of not having problems making the weight, but he had problems this time because of that injury to his ribs. In retrospect, he probably could have pulled out of the fight. He decided not to, but because of the injury, he couldn’t really condition himself and therefore did not make weight. But there has not been any time that he has had any problem at all making the weight. The problem here as I said was because of a situation where he was too brave, where he went through with a fight where he had injured his ribs 10 days or two weeks before the fight, and therefore, the time where you really get down to weight, he was not able to do that. That is the situation. It is a complete aberration in his career. I have had him in so many lightweight fights – both Mayweather fights, the Stevie Johnson fight – there never was a problem with him making the weight.  He always came in way under 135.

Question:                Can you detail any of the penalties you mentioned?

Arum:                          I do not want to go into that because I am not sure of the details.  

Question:                What was the difference in the injuries that you had before the first fight and in the second fight when you had a rib injury?

Castillo:                   I do not remember ever saying I was injured.  I remember saying that I was not prepared, that I did not have enough time to prepare for that fight.

Question:                Are you saying you did not spend enough time in camp? 

Castillo:                   In the first fight, it was just a question of not having enough time to prepare.  I got the fight in March and I was fighting in May and I think I took a little longer to get back into camp than I should have and I just did not prepare as well for that fight as I should have.

Question:                Did the Commission not tell you that you had to make the weight the first time or you would potentially be fined your entire purse?

Castillo:                   I think I remember it was going to be 25 or 35 percent of the whole purse.

Question:                But it was the first time, not just make it, but the first time, am I not correct?

Arum:                          Yes, the first time. (But) That includes maybe like if he is a little over he can take his pants off and that kind of stuff. But once he leaves the scale, then it becomes the second time. They want him to make it the first time that he is on the scale.

Question:                Do you believe Diego Corrales’ rib injury was legitimate or do you think that maybe Diego was getting himself more time to recover from the fourth round knockout? 

Castillo:                   I do not know if he was really hurt or not hurt. I know injuries happen during training camp. I am very well aware that anyone can get injured when they are getting ready for a fight. Whether he was or not really has no bearing on me. All I know is that (no matter) if he can fight me this week or next week, I was going to wait until I have to fight him, even if I had to wait a year. 

Question:                Some people think Corrales should not fight anymore, that he might be damaged goods and that he is in danger of getting seriously hurt.  What do you think?

Arum:                          Well, I have to rely on his trainer, Joe Goossen.  I know Joe very, very well and I know how Joe acted with the Ruelas brothers when it was time for them to hang up the gloves.  And I think that if Joe believes that there was any serious danger to Diego, he would not allow him to fight, or at any rate, would not be part of training him for a fight.  Joe is an honorable guy and that is what I really base my assessment on.

Question:                Bob and Jose Luis, as for after this fight and moving up to 140, has there been any talk about matching Jose Luis with Ricky Hatton? Is that a fight you would want?

Arum:                          I cannot talk for Hatton. I think Hatton has been exposed pretty much as being a relatively ordinary fighter based on his last fight, and I do not think that he is going to be ready to fight anybody real soon as long as he can grab HBO money to fight second-rate fighters.  I think a fight between Jose Luis and Miguel Cotto, if Cotto gets by Malignaggi, is much more likely.

Castillo:                   I think that his style and my style would make for a very explosive fight.  I am sure that it would be something that people would be attracted to.

Question:                This the third fight with Corrales.  Although the first two were exciting and this one will probably be too, is there any problems involved with guys facing each other three times and being so familiar with one another, and possibly just getting bored with fighting the same guy three times and wanting to see somebody different?

Castillo:                   No, as far as I am concerned, I enjoy him too. I think his style matches really well with mine. I enjoy fighting him and I think it shows in the ring that our styles are made for each other.

Question:                Bob, obviously if Cotto and Castillo go against one another, the only person that cannot lose is you.  But what about matching two of your guys up together?  Is there a danger that the loser gets diminished?

Arum:                          Depends on the fight.  Obviously, the winner gets raised and the loser gets diminished, but that is boxing.  They each have different managers and they are each trying hard.  We run a real neutral promotion.  I love when two guys that we promote fight each other.  I do not see anything wrong with that.  I think that is fine.

Question:                It is said that because you did not have to make the weight last time that you came in stronger than Diego.  What is the difference in strength between Jose Luis Castillo at 135 and Jose Luis Castillo just a few pounds more?

Castillo:                   I think I showed in the first fight and in the second that I am stronger than he is. I showed that my body can recuperate from making the weight and I think that is what it shows.  Even though I was pretty close to 135 the second time around, I was able to recuperate all my powers and still be strong enough to fight him.

Question:                Jose, is promoting fights with your promotional company taking away from your concentration and training for this fight?

Castillo:                   I have people that I work with that are very good at what they do. I am making sure that we get the right matches and the fights that I want. But as far as everything else, I had two promotions on the 5th and on the 20th of May and they were very well done and I think that the people that I have working for me have done a real good job.

Question:                Bob, what is your take on fighters that you promote becoming promoters?

Arum:                          Well, it just shows that as far as I am concerned, I am a great role model for them.

Question:                Jose, over the last few months, there has been talk about you fighting Cotto.  Has it been difficult for you to think about this fight and not think about future ones?

Castillo:                   No. I know that Corrales is the key to everything. I know I have to beat Corrales. I am concentrating on Corrales because that will open my doors to fights with Cotto and Hatton in the future.

Question:                How interested are you in really fighting Cotto?

Castillo:                   I am very interested.  I think they have even talked about maybe doing it in November.  I would really like to do that.  I know that I have to get by Corrales first and then look forward to Cotto, which I am sure will be another great fight. 

Question:                Do you think it will be easier to win this time?

Castillo:                   I think it will be a very intense and hard fight for however long it lasts.  But I am pretty sure that I am going to win and that I am going to knock him out.

Question:                What was the difference between the first and second fights and why were you able to be so dominant the second time?

Castillo:                   The first fight there was just not enough time to train like I would have liked to.  I was so confident I was going to knock him out with one punch early in that fight that I went in there with that thinking that all I needed was to land one shot and unfortunately I did not have enough reserve to fight that length of a fight.  Unfortunately, he got me later in that fight. But for the second fight, I was very well prepared. I did a lot of work and preparation for it and that was the difference.

Question:                There has been a delay in this fight.  Will that benefit you as much as it would him?

Castillo:                   I am going to be so well prepared. I have been doing so well in camp that I am going be more than ready to win the fight. I think it will be the same result as you saw in the second fight.

Question:                Do you think he wants to take it into the later rounds given what happened in the first two fights and if he does that, how would you counter that? 

Castillo:                   No, I do not know if that is what he is thinking or hoping. I have been telling everyone that this fight is over within six rounds and I think this third fight will be over in six rounds. I do not know if he really thinks he can take me to the later rounds. But even if he does, I will be much better prepared than I was the first time around.

Question:                Do you see this fight as an opportunity at vindication considering all the criticism you took after the second fight?

Castillo:                   I am sure everyone walked out happy from the second fight as well as the first fight.  But on my part, I feel that I let some people down by not making the weight and I do want to make the weight just for myself.

Question:                Being that Cotto’s name has come up, how do you see a fight with him going?  What is your opinion of Cotto?

Castillo:                   I think he is a great champion and boxer.  I think he has a lot to offer and I think when we do fight, it is going to be a great fight.

Question:                Do you think in your heart that Diego is going to fight the same fight, or do you think that he might stick and move just in a box a little bit more?

Castillo:                   They have been saying that that is what they are going to do, that they are going to fight me just like they did the first two times.  I personally do not believe that.  I think they will come and do some things different, probably box me a little bit more, and that is going to be really a change for the people because the people expect to see what they saw the first two fights. But even if he does come to run or move more than he usually does, I am ready for it. I will be ready for him to do that.

Question:                What do you want to do in the future and how do you see this fight going after the first few rounds?

Castillo:                   I see it going just like the second fight. I think it will be a quick night for me. I hope to repeat that performance. In the future, I hope to fight Cotto in November and maybe Hatton a little later.

Question:                Where does Corrales rank among the great fighters you fought?

Castillo:                   I probably put him right there next to (Floyd) Mayweather. Without a doubt, Mayweather is the best fighter I ever fought or got in the ring with. (Joel) Casamayor was a good boxer, but I would probably put him right there next to Mayweather.

Question:                As a puncher, is Diego the hardest puncher you faced?

Castillo:                   No, I think he does have a hard punch, but I think I have faced even harder punchers in my career.

Question:                Who would that be?

Castillo:                   When people ask me about that, I always mention Julio Alvarez. Alvarez was a Mexican champion. We fought for a Mexican title in Mexico and we had a great fight.  It was just like the first Corrales fight.  But this guy could really hit.

Question:                Is it realistic for you to be able to go up all the way to welterweight?

Castillo:                   I started very young, I was at 122 when I started fighting, but my body was not mature. I think my body has matured. I think after the second Mayweather fight, I fought for a couple years at a higher level and I always felt good fighting at those weights.  So I think I can do it.

Question:                Do you feel a rivalry with the other Mexican fighters to be the best Mexican fighter and to be the most exciting for the fans?

Castillo:                   No, I do not think about that.  I enjoy watching all of them fight and the way they fight.  I do not feel a rivalry with any of them.  I feel we are all trying to be the best.  I am trying to be the best at lightweight.  That is what I am trying to be.

Question:                You keep saying you will stop Corrales, but are you prepared to go the distance?

Castillo:                   I am confident about victory coming early because of what I have seen of Corrales and what I have already shown against Corrales once. I think it is going to be a tough fight.  It is going to be real hard, but I think if I am landing my shots, he is going to go down. 

Question:                Is a third fight with Mayweather something you are interested in?  How do you feel it would go at the higher weight?

Castillo:                   I have always said that I would love a third fight with Mayweather.  I feel that we are one and one and that I won the first fight. He won the second. I would love to fight a third fight. I think at 147 he is not going to be moving as much, my power will be better, and I think it would be a really great fight with him.

Question:                Can you address who is actually training you now and can you clarify the situation with the trainer as to what happened prior to the second fight?

Castillo:                   There is nothing to talk about. All I can say is I am the guy who is going to get on the scale and I am the one that is going to make the weight and I am the one who is going to fight.

Question:                Who is training you?

Castillo:                   Tiburcio Garcia.

Arum:                          Garcia was let go before the second fight and is now back in the corner.

Question:                Has getting back together with him been a help to you getting ready for the fight? 

Castillo:                   Tiburcio has always prepared me for the fights and he has always been in my corner.  I think we do real well together.

Begin Closing Comments.

 

Arum:                          Anybody who follows boxing who is not eagerly anticipating this match is not a boxing fan because whatever happens, however long it goes, it is going to be exciting. This is the kind of fight that you watch on the edge of your seats. This is the kind of fight that makes boxing the interesting sport that it is. So I am happy that SHOWTIME has been able to put this on.  I really believe that the fans are going to get a tremendous treat, and it is really great that the fans can see this fight tuning in to SHOWTIME without having to pay $45-50 to see the fight on pay-per-view.  So thanks to SHOWTIME, thanks to the two fighters for making it happen, and thank you all for participating in the call today.

Castillo:                   I want to thank everyone for taking part in this call and I look forward to seeing you all in Las Vegas next week.