Moments ago, at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield, Missouri former three-time world champion and ring legend Diego Corrales suffered his third consecutive loss in a fight where he was making his welterweight debut.

In a brutal fight that was fought at extremely close range from start to finish former world title challenger Joshua Clottey battered Corrales around the ring for ten rounds. Although Corrales was able to score with combinations, Clottey clearly was the quicker fighter and landed by far the harder punches that inflicted a beating on Corrales.

Corrales was badly staggered periodically throughout the fight and Clottey appeared of the verge of ending the fight in both rounds nine and ten when he was able to send Corrales to the canvas. Corrales was badly cut over the right eye from the constant punishment. Corrales was penalized one point in the tenth round after getting up from the second knockdown for spitting out his mouthpiece.

Corrales had spit his mouthpiece out after the first knockdown in round nine and has a history of this when he gets knocked down most notably in his first fight with Jose Luis Castillo. The point deduction against Corrales was irrelevant as all three judges had the fight a virtual shutout for Clottey.

Scores were 97-90, 98-89, 100-87.

After the fight, Corrales hinted a move down to the jr. welterweight limit of 140lb-weight limit. This was Corrales’ first fight at welterweight jumping two weight classes from lightweight at 135lbs.

Diego Corrales has been a very courageous ring warrior throughout his career however after so many brutal fights consecutively perhaps for his long term well being it might be time to hang up the gloves truly having nothing to be ashamed of.