Chris Arreola

Cristobal Arreola (born March 5, 1981) is a Mexican American professional boxer. He competes in the heavyweight division. He was defeated by Vitali Klitschko by a 10-round TKO, in a bid to win the WBC Heavyweight Title.

Early life

Arreola was born in Los Angeles, California.

Amateur career

Arreola grew up in East LA; his father was a boxer and he started boxing at the age of eight. At 16, he had "about 200 amateur bouts" (Max boxing) before losing interest and quitting. At 20 he got back into boxing and after only three months of training managed to win the National Golden Gloves in 2001 as a light-heavyweight against Dallas Vargas who had about 300 amateur fights at the time.

After another hiatus from boxing, this time for two years, he tried to come back for the 2003 Golden Gloves but arrived shortly after the check-in deadline prompting him to turn pro.

Professional career

In 2003 the Goossen-Tutor promoted tattooed 6-foot-2 fighter turned pro at heavyweight with little fanfare. His nickname is "Nightmare." Despite his amateur success, Arreola carried a lackadaisical attitude into the pro ranks. Looking back he says: "I really didn't know if boxing was going to be my career. I wasn't sure about turning pro and once I did, I just took it one fight at a time. But then I starting knocking guys out and I gradually started thinking, 'Hey, maybe I can make some money doing this'."

At first the offensive-minded Arreola only beat weak opposition but got good sparring in California against Wladimir Klitschko, Hasim Rahman and James Toney. Chris now resides in Riverside, California.

In 2005 he fought Domonic Jenkins who despite his record of only 6-3 held a win over Malcolm Tann (and later KOd amateur stars Victor Bisbal and Carlos Barnett). After trailing for six rounds he turned the fight around and won by KO.

He supposedly then he got his weight under better control, he gradually dropped from 255 lbs down to 230 lbs. In his last four fights, however, he has been tipping the scales at over 250 pounds once again. In his title fight against Klitschko, Arreola weighed in at 251 pounds and appeared to be in somewhat better condition, though still overweight. He came into his last fight, a non-title fight with Brian Minto on December 6, 2009, at 263 pounds.

In 2006 he stopped durable clubfighter Sedreck Fields, Cuban southpaw Damian Norris (who later defeated the unbeaten Roderick Willis) and in a match of unbeaten Californian prospects Damian Wills (coming in at 22-0-0-0).

In 2007 he KOd former amateur star Zakeem Graham (11-0). He was scheduled to fight undefeated Olympian Devin Vargas , brother of his amateur foe Dallas Vargas, but knocked out late sub Malcolm Tann when Vargas got injured in training, in May 2007 on ShoBox. He KOd Thomas Hayes (record 27-0-0-0) in September 2007, in round 1.

On June 21, 2008, Arreola faced fellow undefeated prospect Chazz Witherspoon (23-0) and defeated him via disqualifaction. In the third round, Arreola landed a barrage of punches that was capped off by a chopping right that sent Witherspoon to the canvas. The bell rang early in the count, prompting Witherspoon's corner to begin entering the ring. This was ruled by the referee to be a disqualification since the round is not technically over until the count is over. But many, including HBO commentator Max Kellerman, believed that the fight would have been stopped and ruled a TKO regardless.

On November 29, 2008, Arreola faced Travis Walker. During the 1st round Arreola was overwhelmed by Walker's power and was outboxed. Arreola came back late in the 2nd round after nearly being knocked down to his knees; Arreola knocked Walker down twice afterwards, eventually knocking Walker out early in the 3rd round improving Arreola's record to 26-0.

Arreola is currently ranked in the top 10 by all four major governing bodies.^[1]

His coach Henry Ramirez is only 28 years old. "I had other trainers but they didn't fit my style. I'm a banger... Henry was always giving guys confidence and I liked that." said Arreola of his trainer.

Arreola defeated the previously retired heavyweight veteran Jameel McCline (40-8 23 KO's) on April 11, 2009, with a knockout at 2:01 of the 4th round. Arreola put McCline down with a combination consisting of an uppercut and right cross, and McCline was out cold. The fight was shown on the undercard of the Paul Williams vs Ronald "Winky" Wright bout on HBO Championship Boxing.

After his win Arreola was the number one contender to challenge Vitali Klitschko for his WBC Heavyweight title belt. Arreola was happy with his draw when it was announced they would fight in Arreola's home town.^[2] The match took place on September 26, 2009 in the Staples Center, Los Angeles. It was broadcast on HBO. Klitschko was a heavy favorite in the days leading up to the fight. The fight had Klitschko dominating Arreola with pawing jabs, hard straight rights and body shots which prevented Arreola from closing the gap. Arreola's corner and the referee stopped the fight before the start of the 11th giving Klitschko a 10th round RTD (TKO) victory. The final scorecards read, 99-91, 99-91, and 100-89, all for Klitschko. Arreola wept in the post fight interview due to the loss to Klitschko, the first of his professional career.

Soon after the loss against Vitali Klitschko, Arreola fought Brian Minto as an undercard for the Paul Williams vs Sergio Martínez fight. Chris landed well with his straight right hand and eventually floored Minto in the 4th round, Minto got up at 8 and continued to get hit with right hands before being dropped again. The referee stopped fight when Minto rose at 9 and appeared to be in no condition to proceed with the fight.

Arreola lost his next fight, to former two-division world champion Tomasz Adamek by majority decision on 24 April 2010.

Arreola in his next fight defeated Manual Quezada in Ontario Ca on August 13, 2010 with a 12 round unanimous decision. Quezada was down three times in the fight. Twice in the 9th round and once in the 12th. The scores (117-108) and two judges had it (118-107). Before the fight Arreola had an interview on ESPN saying that his last two defeats were because he did not train well (as well as skipping days) and stepped into the training camp weighing nearly 300 pounds. He said that he now knew how to prepare for a fight, and realizes he needs to take the training camp seriously. However, he came in at an over-weight 256 pounds (He fought the best at 230-240, and lost his previous two weighing 250+ pounds) and fought very sluggishly against an opponent who many thought Chris would knock out in the early rounds. At the end of the fight Chris Arreola said he gave himself a C- for overall performance.

Some Thoughts on Chris Arreola

If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self.

Napoleon Hill

By Randy De La O

The saying is “Water will always find it’s own level”. It’s the same way with fighters. They will always find their own level of competition. The level that they can no longer surpass. It’s a natural process. You can only go as far as your talents and heart will take you, right? Sometimes though, a fighter will allow himself, for any number of reasons, to stay at a certain level that he might have, with a little more effort, eventually surpassed. Sometimes something enters a fighters mind and he stops trying, stops giving 100% of himself.

I think this is what happened to Chris Arreola. Somewhere during his fight with Vitali Klitschko, Arreola stopped believing he can win the big fights. He’s made a lot of excuses for himself but the truth is he’s forgotten one of the cardinal rules of boxing, “fights are won and lost in the gym” There is no doubt that Arreola has a lot of heart, that is not in question. In boxing a fighters heart, like steel, must be forged and honed, and that only comes from hard, consistent training and that includes roadwork. There is no other way.

I don’t know if Arreola has the right stuff to become a world champion. I doubt if he knows it either but I do know this, at some point in the near future he is going to have to settle the matter by himself. Do I want to be a champion or am I satisfied just being a local tough guy?

The real champions, in any division, in any sport, didn’t become champions just because they were better than everyone else, though some certainly were, they became the best because somewhere deep inside of themselves, they believed they could and in those moments in a fight when a championship heart emerges, they didn’t let themselves down. They refused to lose regardless of who was in front of them. It’s the stuff inside that makes a man a champion, in boxing, in sports and in life.

Just a little over a year ago Chris Arreola was being hailed as the next Rocky Marciano. To say that he has not lived up to that would be an understatement - to say the least. Rocky possessed no real great boxing skills nor any outstanding physical attributes and he certainly was not a graceful fighter. What set Rocky apart from every other heavyweight of his era was his huge heart and the fact that he trained as if his life depended on it. He never stopped punching and he never stopped trying. He refused to lose. His heart of steel was forged in the boxing gym. Hard , consistent training. For Rocky there was no other way. All the great champions knew that. It was no accident that Rocky Marciano retired as the only undefeated Heavyweight Champion in boxing history - finishing his career with a record of 49-0.

In Arreola’s last fight on August 13th, 2010, with Manuel Quezada, a fight he won unimpressively, he entered the ring at 256 lbs, 6 lbs heavier than his previous fight with Tomask Adamek, a fight he lost. He was booed that night, not because he lost but because the fans knew that he didn’t give his all, not necessarily in the ring but in the training. A better conditioned and well trained Arreola would have won that fight and the hearts of the fans.

When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.
Napoleon Hill

Boxing is a sport but it’s also a business. A tough and brutal business at times but a business none the less. Like any business, there is a CEO, a business owner or a boss. In boxing, whether he knows it or not, the fighter is the boss, he is also the product. Like any Business owner he wants to protect his investment and provide the best product possible. He hire’s the right people to help him reach his goal and safeguard that investment; managers, trainers, cutmen and sparring partners, presumably men with experience. In a business enviorment when a manager or a plant superintendent fails to do his job and the business begins to crumble it’s time to look for a new guy, someone that can turn things around or at the very least hire a consultant to pump some new ideas into the business. Regardless of how well loved the old manager is the business will fail unless some change is made. It’s the only option.

Well, The Chris Arreola Company is crumbling even as we speak. His fan base is shrinking. There is nothing to indicate besides a few well intentioned words to the fans that things will change. If Chris Arreola is content with the status quo then he needs to do nothing. Again, boxing is a tough business and outside the ring tough decisions have to be made. It’s essential to the survival of both the business and the product.

Loyalty is a great quality and one that I admire. In my own life undying loyalty has cost me. I understand loyalty. However, sometimes loyalty can undermine our goals and our visions. Chris Arreola is loyal to Henry Ramirez. That’s a good thing. I believe Henry is also loyal to Chris. I believe he has Chris Arreola’s best interest at heart, however a change needs to be made but someone with more experience in boxing needs to work with Arreola and Ramirez. New ideas need to be pumped into the business. There are a few guys around that could do wonders for Arreola. Freddie Roach for example, would almost guarantee an improvement. Some egos may need to be humbled but that’s not such a bad thing in the long run. There is an old adage that goes something like this: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always have what you’ve always had”. to which I would add “and not one thing more”.

I can see the desire in Arreola’s eyes when he thinks of becoming the first Mexican American (Chicano) heavyweight. He’s sincere in his desire but it puts a load on him that affects the way he fights. Sometimes there is a desperation to the way he fights, especially when he finds himself on the short end of an exchange. He seems to panic at the thought of letting his fans down. It causes him to make mistakes in a fight. It affects his judgment. His first and only thought should be to win the fight in front of him. If he were to be fortunate enough to win a title everything else will take care of itself. A fighter’s pride a wonderful thing, it’s what keeps him going. It helps to have pride in your self or in your people. The trick is not to let the pride consume you and cloud your judgment.

Sometimes a boxer needs to remove himself from all his old habits, haunts and friends. Again, loyalty is a good thing but loyalty to yourself is just as important and if you happen to be on a quest for the Heavyweight title, well…… The irony of all this loyalty is that when it is all over and a boxing career is a long ago thing of the past those same friends will be nowhere to be found. My own father once said to me that “your true friends can be counted on one hand“. Over the years I have found it to be true.

Look out for yourself Chris because ultimately your success or failure will fall squarely on your shoulders and only yours. You know what you need to do now go do it!

Words to live by This should be posted in every boxing gym in America

If you think you are beaten, you are,

If you think you dare not, you don't.

If you like to win, but you think you can't,

It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,

For out in the world we find,

Success begins with a fellow's will.

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,

You've got to think high to rise,

You've got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man.

But soon or late the man who wins,

Is the man who thinks he can.

~ C. W. Longenecker 

The Last Word On Arreola From Borges: "The Guy Can't Fight"

The writer wasn't impressed by Arreola's ability to withstand punishment or all that much by his tears postfight. He calls out the fighter and his team for match and the result.

by Ron Borges

Cristobal Arreola’s tears following the one-sided beating he absorbed from Vitali Klitchko last weekend were real but what was he crying about? He blew his chance long before the first bell rang.

These days the public is easily fooled by public displays of remorse, apologies which are really no more than public relations stunts or reactions to having finally been exposed than for really seeing the error of their ways. Cris Arreola seemed another in that growing list.

On the biggest night of his life, Arreola arrived at the arena fat and out of shape. Perhaps for him he was svelte, considering his past, but even at the weigh-in he joked about one of the most revealing things about him. When Arreola first weighed 271 there was little shock in the room but he removed his shirt to expose a weight belt he was wearing.

To him conditioning has always been a joke and so it remained. His chest was loose, his sides flabby and his skills non-existent. If you think the former is not revealing of why the latter is a fact than you are not paying much attention to things.

Arreola said in a pre-fight interview that he fought hard, worked hard and played hard. Two out of three isn’t bad unless you want to be heavyweight champion. Cris Arreola not only doesn’t work hard at his craft he doesn’t even know what that means, which is not all his own fault.

If on the biggest night of your professional career, you cannot see fit to work hard enough to be in the best of physical condition what chance do you think there is that he’s working on his footwork in the living room while friends, family and, most importantly, opponents sleep?

Arreola came off as a guy who thinks he has the right to overeat and over drink because he parties as hard as he fights. Well, if last Saturday night was an example of how hard he fights and he brings that to the dinner table or the bar room he should be Juan Manuel Lopez’s size by his next fight.

He didn’t fight hard nor did he fight well. He took punches in the face, which is neither of those things. There is an old saying in boxing that some guys are “game quitters.’’ What it means is they are willing to absorb punishment but not willing to do all they can to win.

If after a long amateur career and 27 professional fights what Arreola showed Saturday night is the sum total of his mastery of boxing than it’s time to look for a job in the Post Office. The guy can’t fight. Frankly, neither can Vitali Klitschko but what he can and does do is physically prepare himself as perfectly as he can and then use the advantages of size and limited athleticism to the best of his ability.

Were Klitschko in the ring with someone like Joe Frazier last Saturday night, Frazier would have slipped under one or more of those pawing punches that pass for a jab, and launched a left hook into his squash that would have knocked him out for a 20-count. Arreola couldn’t even catch up with him let alone hit him and this is against a guy who backs straight up in retreat, his hands down by his pockets.

Arreola was in dreadful physical condition but more importantly he was someone who couldn’t possibly have put in enough hours to master the craft of boxing because if you won’t run hard or do enough sit-ups and other conditioning to at least look as fit as Riddick Bowe in his prime don’t tell me about how hard you’ve been working on your boxing skills.

Bernard Hopkins spoke to this point a week before the fight, lumping Arreola in with so many other young fighters who are pushed along by managers and promoters into fights they are ill prepared for. They are aided and abetted in committing a fraud upon the public and, worse, themselves by trainers who either don’t know how to teach a young fighter or have no interest in risking their employment by making clear to him he isn’t working had enough nor learning fast enough to compete at boxing’s most intense levels.

So, again, what was he crying about? Most observers felt these were tears of remorse for having failed in his effort after long years of working to reach this moment. Well, had he worked as hard as he could that would be both noble and understandable.

But take one hard look at Arreola not through the rose-colored glasses of his supporters or media advocates who should have known better but through the hard eyes of one who goes by what he sees not what he wishes. Cristobal Arreola may be a hale fellow but he is not a student of boxing.

He refused to put in the time to train his body adequately to look like a heavyweight but far more importantly the larger message is he didn’t put in the time to learn his trade. Boxing is a difficult work place, arguably the most difficult and demanding in sports. Even its greatest practitioners eventually pay a price of pain and loss. But if they have done all they can there’s nothing really to cry about except, perhaps, lost opportunity.

There was no shame in Cristobal Arreola’s tears. They at least show on the night of the fight he cared. The shame is that he didn’t care enough when it counted most, which was in the long months and years that led him to the Staples Center in Los Angeles and an appointment with someone who is not a great heavyweight by any measure but who is a professional.

This day and age, that alone can win you a lot of fights, especially in the heavyweight division.

Courtesy: thesweetscience.com

Vitali Klitschko and Chris Arreola Post fight Interview

Vitali Klitschko vs Chris Arreola

By Randy De La O

Last night's heavyweight fight, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, between Vitali Klitschko and Chris Arreola was even more one sided than Mayweather vs Marquez, and like Juan Manuel Marquez, Chris Arreola showed a strong chin and a big heart but it just did not make a difference. Arreola fought a better fighter last night and there is no shame in that.

From the onset Klitschko used his long jab followed by the right hand and his awkward but effective right uppercut. Arreola didn't have a clue on how to get inside. Klitschko's side to side movement kept Arreola off balance and unable to get off a clean shot. He also kept Arreola at range and that sums up the whole fight. There were no dramatic rallies nor were there any surprises here. Kudos to Klitschko for sticking to his own game plan.

Let me say this though, If I wasn't a fan of Arreola before this fight (in all honesty I was lukewarm at best) I am now but I am more a fan of Arreola the man more so than Arreola the fighter. He showed grit last night. I don't know if Arreola will ever be good enough to beat Klischko or any other champion, that will be up to him and how he decides to tackle the rest of his career.

During an interview prior to the fight Arreola said this "If Michael Phelps can smoke why can't I drink?" I couldn't help remarking to my wife Jeri that "He'll find out why tonight" I hope for his sake he got the message. There was another Chicano heavyweight that fought back in the 70's and 80's - Eddie "Animal" Lopez that loved his beer and he threw away his career. Forget the beer Chris, you can live without it. If you ever want to be the best you will have to become Spartan in your lifestyle. Arreola learned a valuable lesson in humility last night and it's my belief that it will make him a better fighter than he was before he stepped into the ring with Klitschko.

So why am I a fan of Arreola now that he has lost? Because of all the qualities that I admire most in a fighter, A big heart stands heads and shoulder above the rest. When all is said and done - win, lose or draw - it is the heart we remember when years later we look back at a fighters career. It's what touches us. It gets inside of us. When a man stops fighting in the ring it's his heart that will carry him through whatever he faces next. Arreola wept openly last night feeling as if he disappointed all his Mexican and Mexican American fans. He needn't worry. We know he didn't quit. It's my guess that he has more fans today than he did yesterday.

Vitali Klitschko - Chris Arreola Weigh In

Video Courtesy of Fighthype.com and Fighthype's Youtube Page

WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko and challenger Chris Arreola weigh in for tomorrow's fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

CHRIS ARREOLA'S "STRENGTH & CONDITIONING" PLAN

Via Bill O'Neill

May 20, 2009
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: CRISTOBAL ARREOLA
By Ryan Burton
BoxingTalk's Ryan Burton speaks to heavyweight contender Cristobal "The Nightmare" Arreola.

Ryan Burton: What is new with you?

Cristobal Arreola: I just signed Darrell Hudson to be my strength and conditioning coach yesterday. I found out my next fight is going to be in September. Exact date don't know. Exact person don't know. Who ever it is I know its in September and I don't really care who it is against. I just know I will be ready.

RB: What made you and your team decide to hire a strength and conditioning coach and what made you decide on hiring Darrell Hudson?

CA: We asked a lot of people on who they would recommend and his name came up a lot. He is a great trainer. He has a great track record.

RB: Were there any concerns at all about the allegations surrounding him with Shane Mosley and the steroid scandal?

CA: Not at all. He is going to give me the same steroids that Shane took (laughing). Nah man I am not worried about that man. You can't go off of stuff like that. We are behind that stuff. What ever happened happened. Shane is his own man what ever he took he knew.

RB: You said you are fighting in September but you don't know who against. Do you have an exact date and venue?

CA: No I have no idea. Mr. Goosen told me the fight would be sometime in September and be in California so I am looking forward to this. I am going to working with Darrell. Right now I am not worried about who I am going to fight. I am concentrating about getting in shape and how I look going into the fight. A lot of people are saying Vitali Klitschko but I am concentrating on being ready.

RB: Does Darrell Hudson have a target weight for you?

CA: The thing is we don't have a target weight. We want to go in better shape. I am going to do conditioning. The thing is I am a fat boy. I may look like crap with my shirt off but I am ready to go.

RB: I have seen heavier guys have more energy than thinner guys before. It seems like metabolism has a lot to do with it. Do you just want to go in the healthiest and most in shape Chris Arreola you can be?

CA: Exactly. It seems with me they don't judge me by how I win or how I do. They judge me by how I look. I keep winning.

RB: By bringing in Darrell Hudson now and your fight not till September this is basically giving you all summer to get in shape. Was that the plan?

CA: Yeah I want to be able to walk around without my shirt this summer! (Laughing)

RB: What are your thoughts on the Wladimir Klitschko vs David Haye fight?


CA: You know I am happy for Haye he got that fight. He really doesn't deserve it. He beat a guy (Monte Barrett) who is now considered a journeyman. That is all he has done at that weight. He was able to talk his into that fight. It should be a good fight.

RB: Do you have a prediction for that fight?

CA: I believe that Vladimir Klitschko beats him within 8-10 rounds.

RB: You were ringside for the Andre Ward vs Edison Miranda fight. What did you think of that fight?

CA: Great fight man. You know Andre boxed well. I thought Miranda had him hurt a couple times but Andre was able to stick to his game plan. Andre fought a great fight.

RB: You have 4 months till you fight. Hudson will get his chance to put his stamp on you What is the reasoning behind that?

CA: I just signed him yesterday. I don't versus bringing him in during an 8 week training camp. I don't want to go at this half ass. I want to be in shape and be ready to spar 7-8 rounds before training camp.

RB: The fact that you hired a strength and conditioning coach now and the fact that you hired him so early is screaming that you are going to be fighting a Klitschko. You know its my job to keep asking about that.

CA: You know what, in my mind I will be honest with you, I don't really care about that. I just care about getting ready for that September date against whoever. I just want to get rid of some of this fat and be in the best possible shape I can be in.

RB: It would be nice for an American heavyweight to create a buzz that we haven't had since Evander Holyfield's hey day. Even thought he is British we haven't had a buzz since Lennox Lewis either.

CA: You know what I am going to do it for fat people every where (laughing). Seriously, a lot of people didn't appreciate Lennox. Now tht he is gone people are missing him. Now they wish he was back.

RB: Do you have a message for the fans?

CA: Come September man, you are going to see a new Chris Arreola in shape. You will see the same old fight and the same fighter but I will shed some pounds. I just can't wait for the fight.

RB: I will give you a ring in another month or so to see how your conditioning is going.

CA: Thanks. I appreciate it Ryan.

An Interview With Chris Arreola (HBO)

RIVERSIDE HEAVYWEIGHT CHRIS ARREOLA

An email from my friend, former sports writer Bill O'Neill,

I visited Chris Arreola's training camp at Indian Willie's Gym in Riverside Wednesday afternoon. While Chris does not seem particularly inspired about his next assignment--taking on the giant Jameel McCline at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in a bout that will be televised live on HBO on April 11--he is viewing it as another step toward a shot at the heavyweight title, and is rounding into shape.

Chris has won all of his 26 fights as a pro, scoring 23 knockouts. He lives here in Riverside; and in spite of his intimidating appearance and somewhat irregular training habits, he is a very decent, friendly, soft-spoken young man. If he becomes champion of the world (as I think he will), he will become an immediate media sensation--and the best representative our sport has had since Joe Louis.

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Chris Arreola

Special From Bill O'Neill

I have visited heavyweight contender Chris Arreola's training camp in the piney woods outside the mountain community of Big Bear (elevation:  about 5,500 feet) three times in the past three weeks.  I'm happy to report that Chris is working very hard, looking strong, in preparation for his Nov. 29 HBO bout with Travis Walker.  There are unconfirmed reports that if Chris passes this test impressively, his next bout will be against one of the giant Klitschko brothers of the Ukraine, holders of two of the four or five splintered versions of the world heavyweight boxing title.

 

Yes, it's a bleedin' shame that the title is so fragmented.  But that isn't Chris's fault.  He will fight whoever they put in front of him--and, in my humble, slightly biased Southern Opinion--knock 'em all out.   Right now, he is still a comparative Unknown, even here in his home town.  But if he racks up just a couple or three more wins, he COULD become one of the most famous, most acclaimed sports stars in the world. 

 

I am privileged to have been the only "outsider" in the Arreola training camp.  And, of course, I am there strictly as a low-profile observer and "friend of the family."  My good friend "Indian Willie" Schunke, Arreola's assistant trainer, cut man, and hand-wrapping specialist, has allowed me to tag along with him on visits to the secluded camp.  They want no cameras, no microphones, no media people--and probably, most of all, none of Chris's beer-drinking buddies.  Right now, it's all business.  There will be plenty of time for partying, once that business is completed.

 

For the uninitiated:  Chris is Mexican-American, born in East L.A. and raised primarily in Riverside.  He is six-four, 240, heavily muscled, heavily tattooed, mean-looking, but very much a "gentle giant"--until the bell rings.  He is extremely intelligent and quite articulate, and welcomes the opportunity to become a role model.  My friend Jackie Hayden has dubbed him the "Mexican Rocky Marciano"--and I will second that endorsement.  

 

Of course, a professional boxer is always "only as good as his last fight."  And Travis Walker, every bit as big and confident as Arreola and with a record of 28 wins against one loss and one draw, could send us back to Square One in a hell of a hurry.  But I don't think so.  Chris has no intention of losing to him--or to anyone else, ever.

 

So tune in to HBO on the night of Saturday, Nov. 29, and decide for yourself whether Chris Arreola is, indeed, the Next Great Heavyweight.  If he ends up on his backside--you are free to question my credentials as a judge of fistic talent.

 

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Chris Arreola Update by Bill O'Neill

HEAVYWEIGHT CHRIS ARREOLA IN ACTION THURSDAY, SEPT. 25

Chris Arreola of Riverside, the guy I'm touting as the future heavyweight champion of the world, will be in action (assuming the fight isn't canceled) Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Soboba Casino near San Jacinto.  The bout will be televised live on the Versus cable channel at 9 p.m. EST, 6 p.m. California time.  The opponent is a big fellow from New York named Israel "King Kong" Garcia, whose pro record is 19 wins, one loss.

 

Unfortunately, Chris appears to be very much overweight and has NOT been training seriously for this "tune-up" bout--apparently taking it for granted that he will be able to put the guy away early.  (I've no idea what's going on in his head;  he is just a couple of knockout wins away from million-dollar purses, and shouldn't be taking chances against ANYBODY by entering the ring in less than prime condition.)

 

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