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Chris Arreola tells James Slater he will dispose of Bermane Stiverne and then take on all-comers
ON May 10, heavyweights Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne meet in a return meeting of an April 2013 clash that saw Stiverne knock down and decision Arreola over 12 rounds. Hungry for revenge ever since, 33-year-old Arreola has the added incentive of the vacant WBC crown being on the line in the rematch.
Currently 36-3(31), the Mexican/American says he is looking forward to making history against the 23-1-1(20) Haitian-born Canadian.
Q: Chris, the experts/critics want to know: what will be different on May 10 compared to April 2013?
Chris Arreola: “A couple of things. First: I’m so hugely motivated this time, I want to make history. Second: I’ll be in the best shape of my whole boxing career for this fight - I’m in the gym already, working my butt off. I’m an in shape and a properly motivated Chris Arreola this time around. I’m ready to lay it all on the table, go for broke and not let anything stop me. The only thing that stopped me last time [in the first fight with Stiverne] was a broken nose.”
Q: You’re not the type of fighter to make excuses after a loss, but the broken nose you sustained in that third round was the main factor for your loss you feel?
C.A: “Well, it was a great punch that broke my nose - I’ve gotta say. He timed my jab perfectly and I got hit with a right hand I didn’t even see. I got complacent in that round, I was just going through the motions, and he threw that punch that shattered my nose. Everyone knows I’m the fighter who comes forward, who puts the pressure on, but after the nose broke every punch he hit me with hurt. If you look at the fight, you’ll see me grimace while I’m on the inside. Every punch hurt so much but I just couldn’t quit, man.”
Q: What else does Stiverne do well, aside from time his punches?
C.A: “He moves around good, he’s a good boxer. He has good hand speed, and he throws good counterpunches. But my job is to take him out of his comfort zone - I can’t let him set up his punches. Because when he gets set, after he throws three or four punches, he’s gone. I have to stop him getting his timing. Also, I’ll put a lot of pressure on. In the first fight, even though I was in pain with the nose, I still tried to put the pressure on and force the fight. I believe I have more grit and, I hate to say it, but, yeah, I have more balls than him. I want to see how far he’s willing to go to win the fight. I’m going to take him where he’s never been before. Because I know how far I’m willing to go and I honestly mean it when I say I’m willing to die in there.”
Q: What motivates you more: getting revenge over the guy, or making history as the first Mexican/American to win the heavyweight crown?
C.A: “Both. I want my revenge over the guy, and who knows, we might fight a trilogy, and it would be a good trilogy between two good fighters. But I do want to make history. I want to be an inspiration to other kids who came from nothing; not just in boxing, but in baseball, being a doctor, anything. Ever since I was a kid, I said to myself I would be a world champion one day. I really, really believe that if you set your mind on something you can do it. Anybody can do it.”
Q: You looked great in your last fight, when you destroyed Seth Mitchell in a round last September. How did you get so pumped up and so angry-looking against Mitchell?
C.A: “It was because everybody was saying I was done, even him. I mean, come on! Him saying that really was a slap in the face to me. I wanted to prove that no way was I done, and no way would I let a football player beat me! I mean, I respect him and all, but once that bell rings it’s my time and my place. Honestly, I would have retired if he’d beaten me.”
Q: Stiverne snapped your seven-fight win streak one fight before the win over Mitchell. Did that anger you and is there any bad blood between you and Stiverne?
C.A: “No, I’m not angry at all. I respect the guy, but in the ring I want to kill him. Not literally, but I want to make him remember me. I want to punish him. I want to give him a taste of his own medicine. He’ll feel the same way and that’s what I love about boxing: two guys who barely know each other meet in the ring and beat the crap out of each other and then, after the fight, they shake hands! No, there is no real hatred at all.”
Q: I’ve got to ask you about Deontay Wilder, who has called you out. He obviously has power, but what else?
C.A: “ I don’t know what else. I’ve not seen anything else from him. Other than the KO over Malik Scott, who I don’t think is the type of guy to take a dive - so his [Wilder’s] power must be that hard - who has he beaten? If the WBC say that I have to fight him, I’ll fight him no problem. But personally, I think he has to prove himself. But if he wants it, he can get it, no problem. But I won’t be sitting on the outside, trying to box him - I’ll be on his chest, man, on the inside. He also fought Serhei Liakhovich, who had lost, what, his previous two or something? And he [Liakhovich] looked scared. I’m not scared.”
Q: And your thoughts on Tyson Fury, who has also mentioned your name a few times?
C.A: “You know, I’d rather fight Tyson Fury than Deontay Wilder. He has accomplished more in the pros and he’s faced better opposition. He talks trash too, he’s brash, but other than that I’d rather fight him than Wilder. He has a bigger following than Wilder - Wilder is from Alabama, come on! And I’ve always said I’d love to fight overseas - in England or Germany. I’d also love to fight in Mexico City. So yeah, I’d fight him [Fury]. But first things first and I have to take care of this guy on May 10th. I have to get that victory. Like I said, I’m going to give him a taste of his own medicine.”
ON May 10, heavyweights Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne meet in a return meeting of an April 2013 clash that saw Stiverne knock down and decision Arreola over 12 rounds. Hungry for revenge ever since, 33-year-old Arreola has the added incentive of the vacant WBC crown being on the line in the rematch.
Currently 36-3(31), the Mexican/American says he is looking forward to making history against the 23-1-1(20) Haitian-born Canadian.
Q: Chris, the experts/critics want to know: what will be different on May 10 compared to April 2013?
Chris Arreola: “A couple of things. First: I’m so hugely motivated this time, I want to make history. Second: I’ll be in the best shape of my whole boxing career for this fight - I’m in the gym already, working my butt off. I’m an in shape and a properly motivated Chris Arreola this time around. I’m ready to lay it all on the table, go for broke and not let anything stop me. The only thing that stopped me last time [in the first fight with Stiverne] was a broken nose.”
Q: You’re not the type of fighter to make excuses after a loss, but the broken nose you sustained in that third round was the main factor for your loss you feel?
C.A: “Well, it was a great punch that broke my nose - I’ve gotta say. He timed my jab perfectly and I got hit with a right hand I didn’t even see. I got complacent in that round, I was just going through the motions, and he threw that punch that shattered my nose. Everyone knows I’m the fighter who comes forward, who puts the pressure on, but after the nose broke every punch he hit me with hurt. If you look at the fight, you’ll see me grimace while I’m on the inside. Every punch hurt so much but I just couldn’t quit, man.”
Q: What else does Stiverne do well, aside from time his punches?
C.A: “He moves around good, he’s a good boxer. He has good hand speed, and he throws good counterpunches. But my job is to take him out of his comfort zone - I can’t let him set up his punches. Because when he gets set, after he throws three or four punches, he’s gone. I have to stop him getting his timing. Also, I’ll put a lot of pressure on. In the first fight, even though I was in pain with the nose, I still tried to put the pressure on and force the fight. I believe I have more grit and, I hate to say it, but, yeah, I have more balls than him. I want to see how far he’s willing to go to win the fight. I’m going to take him where he’s never been before. Because I know how far I’m willing to go and I honestly mean it when I say I’m willing to die in there.”
Q: What motivates you more: getting revenge over the guy, or making history as the first Mexican/American to win the heavyweight crown?
C.A: “Both. I want my revenge over the guy, and who knows, we might fight a trilogy, and it would be a good trilogy between two good fighters. But I do want to make history. I want to be an inspiration to other kids who came from nothing; not just in boxing, but in baseball, being a doctor, anything. Ever since I was a kid, I said to myself I would be a world champion one day. I really, really believe that if you set your mind on something you can do it. Anybody can do it.”
Q: You looked great in your last fight, when you destroyed Seth Mitchell in a round last September. How did you get so pumped up and so angry-looking against Mitchell?
C.A: “It was because everybody was saying I was done, even him. I mean, come on! Him saying that really was a slap in the face to me. I wanted to prove that no way was I done, and no way would I let a football player beat me! I mean, I respect him and all, but once that bell rings it’s my time and my place. Honestly, I would have retired if he’d beaten me.”
Q: Stiverne snapped your seven-fight win streak one fight before the win over Mitchell. Did that anger you and is there any bad blood between you and Stiverne?
C.A: “No, I’m not angry at all. I respect the guy, but in the ring I want to kill him. Not literally, but I want to make him remember me. I want to punish him. I want to give him a taste of his own medicine. He’ll feel the same way and that’s what I love about boxing: two guys who barely know each other meet in the ring and beat the crap out of each other and then, after the fight, they shake hands! No, there is no real hatred at all.”
Q: I’ve got to ask you about Deontay Wilder, who has called you out. He obviously has power, but what else?
C.A: “ I don’t know what else. I’ve not seen anything else from him. Other than the KO over Malik Scott, who I don’t think is the type of guy to take a dive - so his [Wilder’s] power must be that hard - who has he beaten? If the WBC say that I have to fight him, I’ll fight him no problem. But personally, I think he has to prove himself. But if he wants it, he can get it, no problem. But I won’t be sitting on the outside, trying to box him - I’ll be on his chest, man, on the inside. He also fought Serhei Liakhovich, who had lost, what, his previous two or something? And he [Liakhovich] looked scared. I’m not scared.”
Q: And your thoughts on Tyson Fury, who has also mentioned your name a few times?
C.A: “You know, I’d rather fight Tyson Fury than Deontay Wilder. He has accomplished more in the pros and he’s faced better opposition. He talks trash too, he’s brash, but other than that I’d rather fight him than Wilder. He has a bigger following than Wilder - Wilder is from Alabama, come on! And I’ve always said I’d love to fight overseas - in England or Germany. I’d also love to fight in Mexico City. So yeah, I’d fight him [Fury]. But first things first and I have to take care of this guy on May 10th. I have to get that victory. Like I said, I’m going to give him a taste of his own medicine.”
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