Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Morales-Pacquiao was a better fight than Corrales-Castillo. I am just saying let us not be so quick to tag this fight as the greatest fight ever. In all honesty, after this weekend most boxing talk will be shifted toward the Felix Trinidad-Winky Wright fight; a lot of it already has. We are lucky as boxing fans to be able to be treated to two great fights so early in the year. In addition, maybe if we are lucky we can add Trinidad-Wright to mix. I know that’s asking a lot but who thought Pacquiao and Morales would be so quickly topped by a better fight?  

Sure, there will be talk of these fights throughout the year but it won't be as loud as it is now and most of us will all but be silent on these fights until rematches are announced or until we see voting for 2005 Fight of the Year.  

If the voting for Fight of the Year were done today Castillo-Corrales would be the clear victor, mostly because it has been the best Fight of the Year and because it's still the freshest fight in our memory. Great fights always seem greater when they are fresh in our memory. If Morales-Pacquiao and Corrales-Castillo had reversed dates, which fight would most be claiming as Fight of the Year right now?  

Let us go back even further to May 18^th, 2002, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The combatants were Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward. This fight was so great many compared it to the Rocky Films, but even better! It had back and forth action, Gatti was sent to the canvas by a wicked Micky Ward body shot, the same body shot that had kept fighters down for the count in the past. However,  Gatti rose from the canvas in obvious pain and continued to fight as if his life were on the line.  

Okay, let's fast forward back to May 7th again, the Corrales-Castillo fight. Ask why most thought this was the greatest fights ever, greatest fight of the year, etc., and from what I've heard it all comes down to the last round.  

Corrales had been sent to the canvas twice and was clearly in trouble, so he did what seemed to be the smartest thing he could do, he spit out his mouthpiece twice to buy some time to recover. After his mouthpiece was put back into place the second time, Corrales turned the tables on Castillo, catching him on the ropes and landing head shots forcing referee Tony Weeks to step in and call a halt to the bout.  

I might get a lot of negative feedback on this, but getting up from the canvas twice and buying time by spitting out your mouthpiece,  then having the fight stopped, makes it the greatest fight ever? Sorry, but I don't buy in to that. It was a great fight yes, but greatest fight ever? I don't think so. Had  Corrales gotten up without the short breaks for the mouthpiece and then stopped Castillo I might buy more into the greatest fight ever, but as of now I can't.  

When the time come to vote for Fight of the Year , which fight will take the prize? I don't know but it may not be a safe bet ,as of now, to say Corrales-Castillo...