CHRIS ARREOLA, 35-4(31), says 2015 will be the year he “goes for broke” as he will make one final run at becoming a world champion.
Here, the Mexican/American explains how he will attempt to put two losses to Bermane Stiverne behind him:
Q: Who will you be fighting on March 13 and do you want rounds or an โIโm backโ sort of statement by way of a quick KO?
Chris Arreola: โI have no idea, man, but it doesnโt matter, I just want to get in the ring and fight (according to BoxRec, Arreola will face the 12-3(8) Curtis Harper). Iโm ready to put rounds in but I always want to knock somebody out. I hate decisions. Iโve just gotta take care of business and then keep it going. Iโm going to be fighting again on April 17th, I forget the guyโs name. But as I say, it doesnโt matter. I just want to fight. I love fighting.โ
Q: How is your left arm now, after you had surgery on your elbow. Is it 100 per cent?
C.A: โOh, the doctor told me it will never be 100 per cent ever again. But itโs a lot better now than it was in the [Bermane] Stiverne fight. Itโs around 70 to 80 per cent now. But thatโs boxing, we have injuries and you just have to bite down on the mouth-piece and do what you do.โ
Q: Talking about Stiverne, who beat you twice. I guess he is simply your โBogeyman,โ as the saying goes, and styles makes fights?
C.A: โExactly, man. Thatโs boxing. You know, my hat goes off to him. He caught me with the exact same right hand as in the first fight, the same one. I was winning the [second] fight, I was in great shape and ready to go the full 12-rounds. But, hey, [I threw] a lazy jab and he got me with the right hand.โ
Q: Were you surprised how comprehensively Deontay Wilder outpointed Stiverne?
C.A: โOf course, but I was more surprised by his [Stiverneโs] body. He was 239-pounds against me and the same weight against Wilder, yet if you put both bodies side by side, you could see they were like night and day. That bothered me, with him being a defending world champion and yet he didnโt look like he was in shape, his body was sloppy and I donโt believe he was ready. I think Stiverne felt he was just going to touch Wilderโs chin and he was going to go to sleep. But these are some of the mistakes we can make in boxing.โ
Q: Were you impressed with Wilder?
C.A: โDefinitely. He had good ring generalship and his jab was like a piston; his [Stiverneโs] face was all swollen from the jab. Wilder did what he had to do and he dictated the pace.โ
Q: I know the answer to this question already: would you like to fight Wilder?
C.A: โAbsolutely. This year, I told myself, I have to go for broke. I have to do it all the right way. This is it, I have to keep my butt in shape and get that world title or Iโm done. I donโt want to be done with boxing, itโs my life, but this is the year I have to get it done. And I want to earn my title shot. Iโm not like, โLetโs go, Champ!โ (Shannon Briggs). Iโm not like that guy at all. If I have to fight four or five more times this year, Iโll do what I have to do to get a title shot. Weโll get the first one done on March 13th, then fight again in April and then hopefully in June.โ
Q: You are in a mix of good, exciting contenders. You against Tyson Fury would be a great fight.
C.A: โI like Fury. And I tell you, heโs hilarious. But he can back it up. I donโt care who I fight. Iโll fight any contender in the top-10 or the top-5. I donโt fear anyone. Iโll fight anyone and I donโt just say that, I mean it, anyone. Iโd actually like to see him [Fury] fight Wilder. Theyโre both big guys who talk a lot. I think heโd give Wilder a run for his money.โ
Q: And Fury against Wladimir Klitschko, do you give Fury a shot?
C.A: โOf course. He has size and you canโt teach size.โ
Q: Itโs Bryant Jennings next for Klitschko. How good a chance does Jennings have in your opinion?
C.A: โIโve never sparred Jennings but Iโve seen enough of his fights to get an idea of how I think he might do. Hopefully he will put enough pressure on to push Klitschko back to the ropes. But I donโt really see that to be honest. But I give him [Jennings] my best wishes for the fight.โ
Q: Happy birthday for March 5th when you will turn 34. That age is quite young for a heavyweight, as they mature later on. You feel you have plenty left in the tank to offer?
C.A: โI know I have plenty left in the tank to offer. And the thing is, Iโve matured. Iโm training now at Big Bear and I like it. I used to hate training at Big Bear, it was so boring. But this is work, who cares if itโs boring. This is what I do. I wish I had this mentality five or six years ago. But I was a stubborn knucklehead and I did things the hard way back then, that was my problem. Now itโs time to put this work in and Iโm enjoying it. This is my make or break year.โ
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