Welcome to Quezada’s Corner, a new weekly installment on boxing, brought to you by the WeLikeSportz family.

Last time we checked in at Quezada Corner, I touched on a hardcore boxing fans favorite, Diego “Chico” Corrales, and his post-humous induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. After the HOF weekend, I was spending time in the gym with former heavyweight champ of the world Hasim Rahman, who happens to be one of Diego Jr’s coaches.

It gave me a chance to catch up with new boxing prospect Diego Corrales Jr. and his mother Michelle Corrales-Lewis.

Michelle, how did it feel to finally see Diego Sr. get inducted into the boxing Hall of Fame?

Watching Diego Senior get inducted into the Hall of Fame was A proud moment it was something that offered validation.

It showed that there was really true appreciation in the sport for all those countless nights that he stood there signing autographs, taking pictures with the fans doing interviews with the boxing writers. Diego often wondered if he had done enough to be recognized and be amongst the shrine in the international Hall of Fame and seeing that getting that call from Ed Brophy just gave that validation so it was a very proud moment.

Now that Diego Jr. has started the move towards boxing as a career at just age 16, how do does that make you feel? Is this something you support?

Diego Junior getting involved in a sport of boxing is something that is exciting. It’s scary!

I want him to excel and do what makes him happy, but also know that it will be difficult.

Diego Jr. has a name that’s going to make everyone want to come for him. They will fight him harder at all times, no matter the circumstances. So with that said, I often tell him he will have to do more.

They have to give more the name alone will make him stand out and be a hit. I’ll be at target on everyone’s list so he does definitely realize that he has to put in a little bit more hard work and dedication just like any junior to any world champion when they gets started in the sport the road is just a little bit rockier the most. But overall isn’t exciting time and if he can do half as good as his dad did in the sport, I’ll be happy for him.

So coming from a boxing family like the Corrales’ were you always around the boxing gym? Did you grow up around boxing?

At a young age I was around boxing, but not involved in boxing. I was definitely around it certain times though I’d still be training and putting on the gloves and messing around my dad, or even worked with Roger Mayweather.

I’d go to meet Roger Mayweather at Floyd’s gym, it was great he was like an uncle to me. fighter and bones Adams, I went to his gym for about a month and around third grade. I was always around, but I never fully committed until say my freshman year in high school around that time is when I had my first match and fell in love with the sport and ever since then it has been on. you know, a rolling boulder, we haven’t stopped.

But at the same time as I wasn’t in it, I was still around it like everywhere.

I was around Simrock man, you know all the trainers, around bones, Kevin Kelly that’s just a few to list. I can keep going on and on

Those guys are all staples out here in the Vegas boxing scene. Are their any other stars of the boxing world that have been a constant since your father passed??

Oh yea, Shane Mosley! He was around since like my childhood. One of those guys always showing me stuff. So I was always around the sport and the big names, you know my coach, “Rock”

Stay tuned as Diego Jr. Makes his debut this August, we will be checking in with his team.

By Vincent Quezada

Photos provided by the Corrales family