Boxing: Castillo and Corrales renew battle in decider

The first time Jose Luis Castillo was seconds from victory before the sickening end and the second time Diego Corrales was in control before he was knocked out cold. Tonight they do it for the third time when they meet at the Thomas and Mack Centre, Las Vegas.

The pair first met in May last year and experts insist it was one of the very best fights in boxing history and the second was likely to be the same until Castillo connected cleanly in the fourth round to end what had been a controversial fight.

The first time they met they each had moments in control before Castillo took over and sent Corrales to the canvas for what looked like the end but seconds later it was Castillo who was out on his feet but with his hands by his side and his chin on his chest. The controversy at the second fight started 24 hours before the first bell when Castillo failed to make the lightweight limit and agreed to pay a hefty forfeit for the bout to continue and when it did so it was a non-title affair. There was incredible animosity in the hours before the second fight and it was even uglier after but for some bizarre reason the pair have agreed a third and final encounter.

Corrales will enter the ring as the World Boxing Council lightweight champion. Castillo possibly has the psychological edge because the second fight was so convincing but Corrales has shown that unless he is counted out on his back he can never be ruled out.

Meanwhile, in Germany, Nikolai Valuev, who is 7ft 2in and 25st, defends his World Boxing Association heavyweight title against Jamaica's Owen Beck in Hanover tonight.