By Ryan Songalia

When news that Diego Corrales had passed away was communicated to me Monday night, the first thing that came to mind was the saying that only the good die young. But just as other iconic figures in entertainment who had died at the age of 29, notably Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix, Chico has left behind a legacy that will endure in place of his physical presence for many years to follow.

Corrales died Monday night as the result of a motorcycle accident in Las Vegas, with preliminary reports suggesting that speeding might have been a factor in the crash. According to police, his motorcycle had hit the back of a Honda Accord, sending Corrales into the opposite lane of Fort Apache Road, where Chico was struck by a Mercedes-Benz.

Corrales' final record will stand at 40-5 (33 KO), picking up titles in the super featherweight and lightweight divisions along the way. But Corrales' legend goes beyond belts and victories, reaching into the very essence of the sport that makes it so appealing to fight junkies.

Corrales was a human being, imperfect and brilliantly flawed, the every man whom boxing fans universally could respect and admire. Corrales had been to the canvas at least a dozen times, and each time he returned to his feet ready to give and have given beyond what the average fighter would be willing to receive. Always at risk, for our enjoyment, this was Chico Corrales.

There were so many individual moments that Corrales had been a part of to name them all, but a few stick out as being definitive of Chico's character. After five knockdowns and ten rounds of a one-sided thrashing from Floyd Mayweather Jr., Corrales nearly accosted his own father for throwing in the towel during a fight he had no chance of winning. Essentially, Corrales himself was the only person in the venue who wanted that fight to continue.

Guts.

Down twice and cut badly inside his mouth, Chico aggressively protested Dr. Margaret Goodman's decision to stop the first Casamayor fight, citing a dangerous blood flow inside his mouth as sufficient impetus to halt the contest. "One f**king round! One more round!" Having issues breathing and possibly swallowing blood, Corrales wanted to return to war.

Audacity.

In the midst of a seesaw battle with the then-undefeated Roberto Garcia, Corrales bombed Garcia to the canvas for the third time with the most thudding one-punch right hand I had ever seen. The impact of the blow recoiled Garcia's head and dropped the tough veteran onto his back, earning Corrales his first title belt.

Courage.

That heart and valor was most notably displayed in the brawl that is generally considered to be the greatest fight ever at the 135 pound limit, his first epic war with Jose Luis Castillo. Anyone who had witnessed that encounter will instantly recall where they were when Chico climbed off the deck and turned the tables on the indestructible Corrales. It are moments like these that take up residence in the hearts of fans, the kind of memories for which Corrales was an assembly line for.

In an interview with BoxingScene.com's Rick Reeno in 2005, Corrales showed his warrior's mentality when he spoke about the legendary scrap with Jose Luis Castillo, and promised to have fought exactly the same if the two had to do it all over again. "I would have played it out exactly the same way. I mean that was, you couldn't have had a script better than that. That was my pride, my everything and it was me doing it my way. It was awesome. I couldn't see doing anything different. I think if I do anything different, the fight would not meet the standard and make the kind of impression that it made."

Outside of the ring, Corrales had his faults. Growing up in urban Sacramento, CA, Corrales was exposed to the inner-city influences that led to a troubled youth. Boxing was his salvation, but wouldn't completely exonerate him from his personal issues. Corrales spent 24 months in prison for a domestic dispute with his wife, only to rebound to become a world champion twice over. Boxing was always there for him, and he reciprocated that adoration.

Hence the tattoo "pain for love", which defines his relationship with his fans. His pain, and willingness to overcome it, made him that special pugilist, the kind of fighter we could all call "our fighter", because he walked through fire for our enjoyment.

Derrick "Smoke" Gainer, who fought Corrales in 2000, was one of the fellow pugs that related his respect for Corrales. "You go into a situation with a fight and try to find reasons to be angry with the person so you can have more desire to fight this guy. But he took all of that way because he is such a nice person. He showed me a lot of respect. I'm very saddened by the accident."

"His desire to be champion is what made Diego Corrales who he was. He was willing to leave his life in the ring. The sport lost a real soldier. I'm proud to say that I was in the ring with him for the three rounds that our fight lasted. I'm proud to say that I knew him."

And now Chico lays at rest, his busy hands now peaceful, his warrior's heart still, legacy intact. Opened are the gates to the pantheon of the greats, where Ray Robinson still fires his quick fists with a fiersome fury, where Tony Zale and Jimmy Braddock bask in the glory of their instant classics that live on in the heart's of the boxing fan. And they will raise their drinks to welcome Diego Corrales, who belongs among those heroic figures.

Rest in Peace Diego Corrales, you've earned it.

Any questions or comments? Send them to me at mc_rson@yahoo.com