Chris Arreola Seeks a Starring Role at Heavyweight

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Lyle Fitzsimmons - Make no mistake, Chris Arreola wants all those “regular” things.

The championship ***elry. The recognition. The financial windfall. To name just a few.

But when it comes time in a few years to look back at a successful tour through the heavyweight ranks, he’s hoping for the sort of notice that transcends belts, rankings and checkbooks.

“You remember the movie ‘Coming to America,’ and the scene in the barbershop where they’re talking about boxing,” the giggling slugger asked in a weekend phone interview. “I want to be the guys that those guys are talking about. I love that scene.

“Where the one guy keeps saying Rocky Marciano and the other one won’t stop talking about Joe Louis. It’s the funniest part of the whole movie. And when my career is over, I want to be one of the great ones that guys like that are arguing about. That’s really my goal.”

In the mean time, though, the 27-year-old is revved-up by other discussions.

A pristine 25-0 and ranked in the top 10 by four major sanctioning bodies, Arreola nonetheless continues to draw fuel from lingering naysayers who contend he’s as much a product of favorable matchmaking as genuine in-ring domination.

He gets another chance to state his case Saturday night in Ontario, Calif. - just 20 miles down the road from his home turf in Riverside - where he’ll face fellow heavyweight wannabe Travis Walker in an IBF title eliminator at Citizens Business Bank Arena. [details]

[Vasyl’s dad]

warrrrrr Nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Komander]

Arreola by BRUTAL KO!

[AceNguyen]

Curious to see if he comes to the fight in decent shape. He's a good interview, but I wonder how serious he is about being world champ.

[edgarg]

I don't exactly know what you mean by "the Hector Camacho side opf the crediblilty scale", but it's undoubtedly meant to be offensive. I'd like to know what you mean by it? In fact I'd like to know what the hell you mean by it. ??

It's easy for you to slang a 46 year old guy whose boxing boots you're not fit to even lick, who'd tear you up without breaking into a sweat, even though he's only 5'6" and overweight by 30 lbs. Also who, likely doesn't read your offensive drivel. But unfortunate guys like myself do, because we are BoxingScene afficionados.

I remember, in the wilds of what was then Nth. Surrey outside New Westminster, and outside Vancouver, even there, and Not in the Sports pages, I heard of this bal;zing new star Named Hector Camacho. When I made the effort to see him, I was amazed at his slichness, and had never seen speed like his, nor ring generalship, which was of the highest.

I'd venture to say, that if you'd have Camacho sitting ofpposite you and could ask himall the questions you wantesd to know about boxing, you'd get an answer from almost every one.

Looking at his record, if you ever do, you'd see that he won his first 45 or so fights, including several important Titles, such as the WBC and WBA I think also the WBO, and I believe these were in several divisions from 130 to 147 lbs. He beat Bazooka Limon, freddie Roach, Edwin Rosario, Boza-Edwards, Howard davis, Ray Mancini, Vinny Pazienza, all champions, in various weights, and all before he lost his first fight to Greg Haugen. He was then about
29-30, and was leading an out-of-ring whoopeee life. He rematchedd him right away, re-winning the 140 lb WBO title, then made the mistake of fighting Julio Cesar Chavez who beat him up, because by then, Camacho had lost his punch. Although not his fighting instinct or enormous desire to finish every fight on his feet. Paulie got tremendous praise by finishing the fight against Miguel Cotto, which he did by cleverness, yet what Camacho was only able to do against a vastly more dangerous fighter than Cotto, deserves no praise. Yet, the guy still went up another weight class to face the ultimate Welterweight killer, at the peak of his enormous prowess Felix Trinidad. Still only 5'6", and overweight, against a killer bearly 6'ft tall.......You should be ashamed.

The point I'm making is that you should be ashamed to be dirty=talking a true ring champion, who, although he won titles all the way up to Welterweight, nearly 20 lbs overweight, even only still that 5'6", yet has to keep fighting at age 46 to make a living,

Enough of that.

[MaTTuP]

I don't know how he does it but Chris Arreola gets it done. He's kind of a fat slob and fights like he's in a bar fight but he wins. Maybe he will make the heavyweight division fun to watch.

[boxingkingpin]

walker

travis will put this fat guy away late.. chris is over rated, and its about time someone exposed him.. Train by ko late..

[brownsugar7]

Travis will have a punchers chance,.. but Areola is light years ahead in the experience department,.. Travis looks like a football player who decided late to become a boxer,.. while Areola is an accomplished boxer who chooses to brawl.

[The Slickster]

Im rolling with Chris.
You gotta like a dude like this....he is so humble.
If he ever wins ANY belt he will be huge.

[GreatestIam]

People seem to forget who Arreola use to spar with... lol I let you figure it out... anyway word on the street is if Chris gets pasted this one Peter is next!