The Arreola Aftermath

Heavyweight’s team already targeting David Haye!

Two days after Vitali Klitschko’s convincing victory over Mexican-American challenger Chris Arreola, much has been said and a lot has been written about last Saturday’s bout at the Staples Center in L.A.

For many Southland residents, Arreola (whose nickname is “The Nightmare) presented hope to not just the boxing community but to the Latino community as well. The heavyweight’s mug appeared on T-shirts touting him as “America’s Hope” with the colors of the Mexican flag’s green, white and red in the background. There was a ton of hope (and pressure) that the Riverside resident could bring back the WBC Heavyweight title from the “Tower of Power” Klitschko.

While critics, and trash talkers and haters all pounced on Arreola for his weight, his workout regime (or lack of it), his perceived lack of discipline, the 28-year-old slugger insisted to everyone he was ready for this fight, promoted by K2 Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions.

But after ten rounds, Chris’ corner threw in the towel. The bout was stopped in front of a pro-Arreola crowd who had already been silenced halfway through the main event by the precisioned performance of the taller, wiser, highly-skilled Klitschko.

There’s been a lot of “shoulda, woulda, coudas” from Monday morning quarterbacks gathered around the water cooler.

Just this morning while picking up a breakfast sandwich, I overheard two burly guys discussing the weekend’s fight. Both were of Latino descent.

“Did you watch the fight?” asked his friend. “Arreola woulda been the first Mexican heavyweight champ if he’d won.”

“Arreola’s Mexican?” replied his buddy. “What happened? I didn’t see the fight.”

“Klitschko’s jab, his long arms…Arreola couldn’t get to him!” The two, apparently co-workers since they were wearing the same gear, were quiet for a minute before one spoke again. “But after the loss, Arreola cried! I couldn’t believe it; I didn’t want to see him cry.”

I couldn’t help but chime in and ask the guy why he was bothered by the tears and raw emotion of Arreola. “You just don’t expect a big, huge guy like that to cry,” the macho man explained, shaking his head in disdain. There was a long uncomfortable pause; it was the perfect cue for the Smokey Robinson tune “Tears of a Clown” or even “The Tracks of My Tears.” Then the fight fan shrugged and went back to his sausage and eggs.

For daring to show honest and spontaneous emotions in the ring, Arreola has been criticized and ostracized by those who think “there’s no crying in boxing.” Check on any blog or chat room and you’ll see hundreds of “Dude needs to man up” comments or worse.

For the tough heavyweight–who had a perfect record before his Saturday loss–perhaps the pressure just got to him. His team insists he trained hard for the battle. But for the notorious beer-drinking, F-bomb spewing, Oreo-cookie eating, allergic-to-cardio Arreola, this was the biggest fight of his career in his own backyard of Los Angeles. And you know what? He did better than anyone had predicted he’d do! Many pundits assumed the brawler would get knocked down or knocked out quickly by the belt holder Klitschko but he stayed on his feet through ten grueling rounds.

Arreola (now 27-1, 24 KOs) wouldn’t have quit; he stated months ago he’d go out on his shield. But trainer Henry Ramirez and Team Arreola made the call to spare their fighter any further punishment once it was clear Chris couldn’t get to Vitali in any way, shape or form. In the aftermath of his very first defeat, Arreola has been praised for his heart, courage, determination for facing the vaunted Vitali, but he will still have to prove himself to all the naysayers who said he wasn’t ready for this fight.

Questions remain if he is ready for the next plateau?

Was this bout a missed opportunity? A big mistake? Or just a mismatch?

In an exclusive chat with Arreola’s longtime cutman, “Indian” Willie Schunke, some of these questions are addressed. The veteran cornerman and fight promoter with II Feathers Promotions has worked with Chris for years; the heavyweight even does his regular training in Schunke’s private gym.

The cutman relives what took place inside the ropes and gives credit to Arreola’s worthy opponent. “It was a smart fight on Klitschko’s part,” says Schunke. “He did what he had to do to retain the title.”

But any talk about Arreola not taking the fight seriously is put to rest by “Indian” Willie. “It wasn’t just a payday!” Schunke, who had to staunch a bloody nose during later rounds of the bout, exclaims. “He tried; he really tried.

“It was the reach of Klitschko. And when Chris did get inside, Klitschko wouldn’t hold him so Chris couldn’t go to work!”

Was he surprised by Arreola’s weeping once the fight was over?

“When he showed emotion, I got a lump in my throat too,” says the cutman and friend of the boxer. “I got choked up myself.”

And one thing that Schunke wants to make clear is Chris’ attitude when he got back to the dressing room. Arreola wasn’t worried about his battered face, injured pride, or bruised ego. The defeated boxer’s immediate thoughts were for his camp. “When Chris came back to the dressing room he was more concerned about us,” recalls the cutman. “He said, ‘I’m sorry, guys.’ Then his wife, mother-in-law, and mother came in so I faded into the woodwork to let them have their time.”

Now Team Arreola is already looking ahead to the future. While rumors swirl around about whether Chris is going switch trainers, Schunke answers adamantly, “People can say what they want–nothing’s changing!

“He added Darryl Hudson to the team and he got him in good shape,” the cutman continues. “I hope Chris fights again pretty soon–he’s in good shape right now. This may be a blessing–he’ll work even harder with Henry for the next time.”

Just when will “the next time” be?

While there is talk of the reigning WBC Heavyweight Champ Vitali Klitschko planning to fight again in December, you may see Arreola back in the ring in three or four months as well.

Who would “The Nightmare” like to tangle with next? Russian Oleg Maskaev is one name that has been bandied about by the boxing world.

But “Indian” Willie says Team Arreola is interested in taking on one pesky British boxer who’s been known to tote around a “severed” head of Wladimir Klitschko. “Chris wants to fight David Haye!” Schunke reveals to me. Former cruiserweight Haye is scheduled to go toe to toe with Nikolay Valuev in Germany on November 7, so stay tuned to see if an Arreola-Haye matchup will be made after that!

The busy Schunke, who also works with boxers Jose Lopez, Jonathan Arellano, and Hector Serrano, among many others, is also back in the gym with trainer Henry Ramirez for Arellano’s upcoming fight on October 9.

And before we sign off, the cutman says suddenly, “Hey, I’ve got another scoop for you!”

My pen is poised, ears perked up waiting to hear the bombshell news.

“I just dropped Tank off for his facial, pedicure and peach bath!” Schunke laughs. Tank, an English bulldog, is a gift from Arreola (Tank’s brothers are pets of Chris’). “We’re getting his wrinkles smoothed out,” jokes the Team Arreola member who knows I’m an avid animal lover and fan of Tank. I have to laugh at my own expense for falling for the bait.

They say laughter is good medicine. While “Dr. Ironfist” pounded Arreola from every angle, one hopes that the popular Mexican boxer bounces back, gets his goofy grin back and climbs back into the ring a more skilled, savvy and slimmer fighter.

For those who say the heavyweight contender was “schooled” by the more experienced Vitali Klitschko, time will tell if Chris Arreola remains a student of the game.

For his disappointed fans who pegged him as “America’s Hope” for a heavyweight championship, at just 28, the brawler could still have a long career ahead of him.

“I think Chris can fight another ten years,” sums up Schunke. “A lot can happen in that time; he can still become a champion.”

There’s always hope.

All photos by Big Joe Miranda