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| Arreola says his dream will come true on Sept. 26. Folstad is leaning towards Vitali, as are most TSSers. Radam has staked out a lonely but bold claim, that Arreola will prevail. Time will tell us. |
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Advice For Arreola: Don't Grab Klitschko's Hat
By Rick Folstad
Tuck your chin in, Cristobal Arreola. Keep it nestled behind your shoulder or hidden behind your fists, some place safe and warm. Protect it like you‘d protect grandma's fine china. If it cracks, it’ll break her heart and yours.
Vitali Klitschko is one of the better chin hunters in the world. He stalks opponents, moves in and then strikes out like a guy trying to swipe his hat back from someone who grabbed it off his head and then waved it in front of him. He throws a long, fairly quick, tricky punch and when it lands cleanly, chins and careers shatter.
Don’t ever grab his hat.
Of course, Arreola has damaged a few promising careers himself. He’s 27-0 with 24 KOs, though two of the three guys he didn’t stop were disqualified, escaping a knockout loss by breaking the rules.
Arreola and Klitschko (37-2, 36 KOs) face each other on Sept. 26 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles for Klitschko‘s WBC heavyweight title (HBO). The fight is scheduled for 12 rounds, but that’s just a technicality. That‘s probably five or six more rounds than they’ll need.
“I’ve always wanted the green belt,” Arreola said on a recent conference call, referring to the WBC title. “That’s what I’ve always shot for.”
Though he was born in Los Angeles, if Arreola wins, he‘ll be the first boxer of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight championship. And like the rest of us, he doesn’t see this fight going all 12 rounds.
“It’s always in my game plan to go 12 rounds,” he said. “Everyone expects a KO and so do I. But I have to train for a 12-round fight. I‘m pretty confident I can take a punch.”
Expect an early night. The only way this fight goes the distance is if they put pillows on instead of gloves.
If this were a bar fight, you’d pick Klitschko to win by manslaughter. He’s bigger and built better and he just looks like a guy who could tear your head off if he had the inkling, though he doesn’t have a reputation for being a thug.
Arreola looks like he could be your plumber. He‘s not cut from granite and he never worked at Chippendale’s. You look at him and wonder why the heck he picked a fight with the Terminator.
“I’m not one of those body-building guys,“ he said. “But boxing is not a body-building sport. I don’t look like Adonis. You look at me and it’s like I just got off the field from picking oranges.“
What was the hardest thing he gave up to get his weight down and to get in shape?
“The main thing I cut off was beer,“ he said. “Now I’m eating right. Chicken, greens, fish. I feel good right now.“
Bet a cold one would go down pretty easy.
How do you not cheer for a guy like that? He wouldn’t even poke fun at his opponent, saying he was very impressed with how Klitschko has dominated the fighters he’s faced since coming back from a four-year layoff.
He didn’t even take a shot at Eddie Chambers, the other American heavyweight contender everyone in the fight game is talking about.
“My respects go out to him,” he said.
At 38, Kitschko - who also calls LA home - is 10 years older than Arreola, which doesn’t mean a thing. Heavyweight fighters seem to have a longer shelf life than guys in the smaller weight classes. Maybe that‘s because one of the last things to leave a fighter is his punching power. His quickness, reflexes and stamina are always first to leave. They skip town long before his power does.
Punching power likes to hang around old fighters, especially old heavyweights. Power was the only intangible still hanging around George Foreman back in 1994 when he won the heavyweight championship at the age of 45. You remember that right hand. Came out of nowhere in the tenth. Traveled about six inches. Took away Michael Moorer’s dreams and title.
For the first 28 minutes of that fight, Moorer ran circles around the slower, older, plodding Foreman. But Foreman’s right hand was always cocked and Moorer kept dancing in front of it and then slipping away, a foolish dog chasing a slow truck.
When Foreman finally pulled the trigger, the right hand landed. One moment Foreman is an old, sad, beaten 45-year-old, the next moment he’s heavyweight champion of the world.
That’s why we like knockout artists. They’re never completely out of a fight until the final bell.
Just don’t expect to hear it ring on the 26th.
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Tom:
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Too bad that Cristobal Arreola has taken on the heady role of representing the Mexican people because Sept 26 will be a sad day for his people.
Cristobal has ever fought a Slavic (Russian or Ukrainian) fighters before. Cristobal will find out that Slavic fighters are not the cream buff types his former opponents were. Vitali Klitschko will first beat Cristobal to his knees When Christobal gets up, Vitali will beat him till he lays bloodied on his back.
Christobal will realize just before the fight that declaring himself to represent the Mexican people will be too much of a burden for him to bear.
Friday Sep 18, 2009 07:43:55 AM
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Ringside:
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Honestly, Chris Arreola has a much better chance than people are giving him. He's much more committed than usual, and he himself is also a knockout artist. If he works the body consistently, then he'll give himself some opportunities. Now taking Vitali's athleticism and physique into account, he has a huge advantage, but still.
Sunday Sep 20, 2009 06:18:25 PM
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Yuvie:
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I suppose there's a few unknown factors going into this fight but I really think that Arreola has been over-hyped by everyone. I expect a Vitali beatdown on Arreola, who will at least go down swinging. That being said, I'd love to be proven wrong in this fight. I'd like to see Arreola win this.
Monday Sep 21, 2009 01:06:01 PM
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Radam G, a most humble PacManite finished w/his workout and just chillin' at his USA home in La Mesa:
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I said it before and I will say it some more. Da Cali-Chicano Crusher Cristobal "The Nightmare" Arreola is pullin' a blitz on old Doc Klits. And I cannot wait for the thousands of alibis and excuses by these internet haters and faders, making-fun-of-Chris-eating-tacos-and-burritos crusders and naysayers, hoping-that-he-loses jokers and swearing-that-he-is-gonna-loser crack smokers. Another pee pee user is gooiiinnnnggggg down. Cris is packing, and no sore-bones pee pee using quack is going to stand up to da Cali Chicano Crusher's cannons. You come to a Mexican firefight, with pee pee from your toddler son's ding dong, you get knocked da fudge OUT! Nasty muthaquacko -- bad doctor with no hygiene! Ya 'pose ta wash ya hands wut watah! Not soaking 'em in your son's piss. I know that Klit is a senior citizen pugilist nowadays. Maybe he is senile. After Cris kayo him, all the haters will start up. "Yea, he shoulda won. He fought a 38-year-old man with a lot of ailments and injuries. But if it woulda been five years ago, he woulda, coulda knock Arreola out. Arreola needs to lose weight. He won't be a champ for long." Actually, he'll be a champ for a long time. But the haters only are champions in the illusions of the inside of their noggins. It is Arreola Time. Don't because you cannot relate. Holla!
Monday Sep 21, 2009 01:28:13 PM
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FightFanWest:
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All reports out of Arreola's camp is that he's terribly out of shape and is fully expecting to be knocked out early. He's in it for the payday only. He was AWOL from camp and is hovering in the 270's, woefully out of shape. His sparring partners have had to lay off him. This will end early. Klitschko by 2nd round KO.
Monday Sep 21, 2009 02:02:16 PM
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paulbo:
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I expect Vitali to win easily, but I wouldn't be surprised if it ends like the first Lewis-Rahman fight, when Rahman, the inferior fighter, landed a hail mary. My point is that even if Areola turns the trick, he'd be slaughtered in the return match. One-hit wonders can win championships if the stars align. Only quality fighters keep them.
Monday Sep 21, 2009 02:47:25 PM
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Radam G, a most humble PacManite:
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*Don't hate because you cannot relate...
Monday Sep 21, 2009 03:24:19 PM
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ChArLo the drummin' dude:
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Awesome article....I lol'd a few times. Atleast this big beer basher is gonna fight the big K. I expect an entertaining fight while I bash beer myself.... : )
Monday Sep 21, 2009 04:23:46 PM
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Isaiah:
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Excellent article Rick! Vitali may be a pee pee user as disgusting as it is, but at least he doesn't drink what he uses LOL! No dissrespect to the great Marquez. Anyway, I like and respect Arreola, but he's probaly biting off more then he can chew. Upset possible as always, but I pick Vitali winning this by KO in the 10th of course.
Monday Sep 21, 2009 04:59:43 PM
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Louis:
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Power isn't something considered an "intangible." Power, speed, and conditioning are exactly what are considered the "tangible" when discussing boxing. "Intangibles" would be things such as what was Foreman's drive to neutralize Zaire and what was Moorer's level of desire to fight and his reaction to Atlas' instructions.
Monday Sep 21, 2009 05:31:45 PM
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the Roast:
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I'm torn on this fight. I'd love to see Arreola win. We could use a new champ. I never thought Vit would beat Sam Peter. At age 38 his time has got to be up soon. Will it be this Saturday? Is Chris in shape? Who has the better chin? Have I been reading too many of Radam's posts? I'm not going to pick until the weigh in. It will be fun while it lasts. Whatever happens I give Vit respect for fighting Chris in his hometown.
Monday Sep 21, 2009 06:50:08 PM
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Aaron:
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Lennox, come bak! Fight Ruiz!!
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 02:41:39 AM
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Smoke:
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Funny stuff Radam. I still believe V will knock out Cris in the 7th round. Cris will lunge in one time too many and Vit will send him to Buffet dream-land.
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 03:29:20 AM
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Tony Mullen:
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Since Chris 8th fight, I've been saying he will fight for the title. If the klit bro ain't juiced cuz his head was twice as big as denzel washington head.. if legit, I'm picking chris 2 bust em up. Drmullen.
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 05:45:28 AM
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Tom:
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One thing is for sure, this will be a lot more entertaining than Mayweather/Marquez was. I expect Arreola to come out quickly until he eats a few jabs and wonders what he got himself into.
He'll then fight very cautiously until he has to take a chance.
Vitali will wear him down slowly over a few rounds and when Arreola gets careless, he'll find himself on his back.
Vitali by KO round 6.
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 11:30:34 AM
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Robert Curtis:
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If Cris weighs in at 250, I'll give him a chance. Arreola doesn't have much of a career behind him. Beating Jameel "Supersize Me" McCline is not much of a resume builder. I've watched what little footage there is of Cris's fights on Youtube. I don't see a great artist, but I do see a determined fighter who keeps punching until the job is done. I don't think Cris Arreola will ever be quite the swordsman that Vitali was/is. But he might be young and hungry enough to dethrone a fading great. I'll wait for the weigh-ins before wagering with words. I may go with my head and say Vitali in 7, or I may just flip the script and say Cris in 5.
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 02:57:18 PM
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TEACHER:
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I look at the pictures and see a fat Areola, I hope he is taking this fight as serious as his ardent supporters, if his weight is below 245 he stands a chance (only because it would then appear that he trained hard enough to loose weight), if not, it's going to be a worse beating than marquez took, PREDICTION: Areola on his stomach being counted out, in the 8th.
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 03:42:54 PM
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Radam G, a most humble PacManite & an Aispanic from the Philippines going w/ diz Hispanic:
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Make da Cali-Mexican Crusher da flickin' underdog. Nonetheless, he's going to chop-up Doc VK like a piece of log. Cris "The Nightmare" Arreola, you love to dis. But he's going to kayo this pugilist who believes in using piss. Pee pee users must be CRAZY! At least -- a little bit HAZY! I guess it doesn't make a never mind, because Cris is going to torch and scorch Doc Vitali K's behind. In that squared jungle, where the haters, posers, faders and talking-$hit crusaders have never been, Cris will be taking a very harmless risk. Because in the end, he is going to finish off sore bones Doctor Peepee Rust Fist. Holla!
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 04:24:15 PM
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brownsugar :
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if Chrishas done his homework,.. (meaning trained hard),.. I think he'll shock a lot of people.
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 06:17:00 PM
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mike "G" :
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To: Our Friend Tom and Teacher. True Areola has not fought a Ukranian or Russian or what ever other nationality you want to throw in there. But Areola has taken the responsibility of representing the Mexican community, and if you anything about the Mexican fighting spirit you know that it is something not easily defeated. Like a great Mexican patriot said "It is best to die on your feat than to live your life on your knees" Areola will come ready. Teacher man, true Areola seems to be "Fat" and out of shape, that is precisely what will be his advantage. Despite his physical appearance a "Fat" boxer can be in much better shape than a meat head who is trying to win "Mr. Olympia. Dont forget smart guy, it takes more oxygen to keep muscle going, than it does fat. Stay smart and think with your head not your heart
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 06:47:00 PM
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TEACHER:
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I am not discounting the fact that he has some skills, skills that would of been better prepared to meet a fighter the caliber of VK 18 months down the road, once he has faced some top ten competion, it has nothing to do with race one or the other, because come fight night the crowd supporting Chris will not be absorbing the hammer like punches and no matter how much pride one has, once his bell is rung, heritage will not matter. I would love to see a champion come out of the west coast ranks, so does everyone else, and Chris Areola will pay for that by being taken to school and hopefully not hurt (his pride) to bad, that he hangs them up..
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 07:46:20 PM
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DaveB:
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Yeah I'll go along with most of you guys and see what the weigh-in reveals. At least in this fight the underdog has a puncher's chance regardless of what the other guy does.
Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 08:11:13 PM
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Radam G, a most humble PacManite:
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Fake -- I mean -- fan from the west never cease from spittin' poppycock. Wow! We have read his jive for a couple years about was going on in a fighter's training camp. What a humbugger! He's a trickmaster of jabberwocky. Somebody ought go into the archives and see how he said that Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao's sparring partners were beating him up and knocking him around the ring. (I musta lost, and was in the wrong camp. Because Manny was knocking sparring partner dizzy.) How his female boxers were kiling "The Hurricane" at Wildcard. (I was in the wrong camp again.) What about the nonsense that Lamont Peterson was whupping the stuffing out of Money May, and Money was looking so bad? And what the lies about Cris before he fought Travis Walker and Big Time McCline. Vade retro me, Sanata! Somebody is definitely not of mens sana in corpore sano. Holla!
Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 04:38:59 PM
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Angie And Goody...23 Years Later
Twenty three years later after they seconded Marvin Hagler and Ray Leonard in Las Vegas, Goody Petronelli and Angelo Dundee crossed paths again. This time, it was at Foxwoods. Photo/friend of TSS "The Iceman" John Scully reports there were only pleasantries exchanged. Goody didn't debate the split decision victory enjoyed by Leonard, which to this day Hagler disputes.
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