CRISTOBAL ARREOLA – “I’ll fight anybody, anywhere but it’s great to be fighting at home. It’s always good to fight in your backyard because you don’t have to travel anywhere, you can sleep in your own bed, eat home-cooked meals and you can go to your favorite restaurants. The disadvantages are that everybody and their brother are trying to hit me up for tickets. I have to tell them to (get lost).
“There’s never pressure on me. This is what I do. I fight for the fans and it’s my job to win and entertain them and that is what is going down on Saturday.
“I’m the big man in this fight and I’m going to bring it to him. I’m sure Adamek is going to stick-and-move, which is what he has done since he’s moved up from light heavyweight and cruiserweight. I’d be pleasantly shocked but happy if he tried to stand and fight and exchange with me..
“But he’s never faced a guy that hits like me. You can’t compare how he did against Jason Estrada with how he might do against me because Estrada can’t punch. He got away with things against Estrada that he definitely will not be able to get away with against me.
“No way is Adamek accustomed to fighting a true heavyweight like me. He’ll feel my power and get hit like he’s never been hit before.’’
TOMASZ ADAMEK
“I’m on a mission to do something no boxer has ever done. I want to be the first light heavyweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight world champion. So I’m fighting for myself and history.
“One of my main strengths is my ability to adapt so I have a lot of options. I am prepared for everything Arreola brings to the fight. You can say whatever beforehand, but it’s how you deal with what’s happening in the ring when it happens that counts and I will know what to do when it’s time to do it.
“I expect a tough fight, of course, and nothing else. All fights at this level are tough and one punch can change everything. I will fight smart and box. I am not going to just stand there in front of him, but I won run either.
“Actually, fighting at the heavier weights has been better for me because the guys are slower, I can see the punches better and they take longer to get there.
“I know what Arreola is about but I jumped at the offer to fight him. There was no hesitation. It makes no difference that this fight is in his backyard. The most important thing for me is to win and I am very confident.’’
ALFRED ANGULO
“Joel Julio is a very good opponent. We know the press likes him and HBO likes him. But when it’s all said and done, everyone is going to like me.
“I know everything I have to know about Julio. He loves to come forward and he can punch. But when he comes forward on Saturday, I’ll be right in front of him. He won’t have to go looking for me. There is no secret to his style or mine.
“I train five-minute rounds so I am very well-prepared and ready to go 12 hard rounds if necessary. I never look for an early knockout or expect the fight to end early.
“My focus is totally on Saturday and getting my hand raised. I can’t look past Julio or any opponent. When the fight is over, my promoter, Gary Shaw, will make my next fight for me and I will fight whoever that is.’’
JOEL JULIO
“This is a very important fight for me and a big opportunity to defeat a great, highly regarded fighter and re-establish myself as a legitimate contender. On Saturday, the fans will see the real Joel Julio. It’s time for me to show the world that I am a talented, elite fighter and it’s my chance to win back my fans.
“I have a new team, new trainer and a new, fresh outlook. I have a conditioning coach for the first time so I know I will be in the best shape of my life. Having a conditioning coach makes me not only physically better, but mentally better, too.
“Now, I know I can just go out and fight. I blame all my losses on not being in top shape.
“Angulo is a dangerous fighter, very strong and a powerful puncher. But I have the full package and can do a lot of things. This fight can go in a lot of different directions, but I can’t help but think it is going to be a slugfest.
“It might be the fight of the night.’’
Arreola Fights With Heavy Hands; Adamek Fights With Heavy Heart On April 24th
A scheduled April 24th bout which has fans of heavyweight boxing buzzing for months will now have added significance with the unfortunate tragedy which befell the home country of one of its competitors.
Poland’s Tomasz “Goral” Adamek, who will be defending his IBF International Heavyweight Title against the heavy-handed, top-rated contender and local hero Cristobal “The Nightmare” Arreola in the HBO “Boxing After Dark” telecast of the “RING OF FIRE” main event at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, will pay tribute to 96 of his fellow countrymen who perished in a horrific plane crash in Western Russia on April 10th.
Among the dead were many of Poland’s top political leaders, including President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria. Adamek, training in New Jersey, couldn’t help but be affected by the news, but insists he will be focused and ready for whatever knockout artist Arreola brings to the table on the 24th.
“This is a tragedy that has never happened before in the history of the world. We have basically lost all the leading politicians including the President and the First Lady and this has just left a huge void,” offered Adamek (40-1, 27 KOs) during a conference call earlier this week which also featured Arreola, his trainer, Henry Ramirez, promoter Dan Goossen and Adamek’s promoter, Kathy Duva.
“There is nobody left and I just don’t know how they are going to be replaced. I have no idea. Just the outpouring of grief is amazing. Just to see the coffin of the President you have to stand in a line five miles long. Every Pole feels the grief right now and every Pole is touched by this, and we have no idea how we will rebuild this. I was invited to have breakfast with President Lech Kaczynski after my fight with Chris and I know he was a big fan of boxing and soccer. The breakfast will not happen now so this is one man I will never get to see. I have a very deep faith and I am strong because of this faith, and I draw from my religious experiences to stay strong.
“I am dedicating this fight to the people who died in this tragedy, but from a personal standpoint I do not need any additional motivation from the fight or for any other fight. All the fights I am fighting I am 100 percent motivated. There is nothing more I can do going into these fights. So, in a nutshell, I am very motivated no matter what has happened.
For the 33-year old Adamek, the Arreola fight will mark the third time he has fought as a heavyweight after world championship reigns as a light heavyweight and cruiserweight. At 6-2 and around 220 pounds, Adamek is not intimidated by the taller and bulkier Riverside, California native who has knocked out all but three opponents in his 28 wins.
“The size of Chris Arreola really makes no difference,” Adamek insists. “He’s 6-9, 6-8, 260, 220, it doesn’t really matter.
It is what is in your head that matters, not your size. I don’t plan to go down after three, four or five punches from Chris. The way I’ve been training for the past eight or nine weeks will bring me the success and expose everything that I need to expose.”
While Arreola (28-1, 25 KOs) can empathize with Adamek over his sense of loss following the catastrophic plane crash, he will enter the ring with his own motivation to erase the memories of his loss in the ring to Vitali Klitschko in his first attempt at becoming the first world heavyweight champion of Mexican descent.
“I don’t believe he’s going to come and try to fight me,” Arreola, 28, opined. “If he didn’t come to fight against (Jason) Estrada there is no way he’s going to come and fight against me. Personally I hope he does. I hope he comes to fight. Do I hope it’s going to be an exciting fight? Yes, I do. I want to deliver an exciting fight. As far as his quickness goes, it doesn’t matter to me. People don’t think I’m quick so it’s something I will have to show during this fight.
“Tomasz Adamek is a proven champion and my respect goes out to him,” Arreola credited. “However, I know he’s going to run away from me. I know I’m going to have to cut the ring off and once I get him against the ropes, I’m going to have to bang away. He’s no Vitali Klitschko. You know, Vitali was big and rangy. So eventually I will catch him and when I do, it’s going to be all over.
“I’m very excited to be fighting someone who is as able and proven as Tomasz Adamek. He’s a proven champion and he knows how to win. But I have a lot to prove still. After I lost to Klitschko, I set out to win a title and to prove to a lot of people that I am an able fighter. I just thank (my trainer) Henry Ramirez for staying on my ass. It’s something I appreciate a lot. I’m just so excited to have this opportunity to fight again on HBO. I just have to prove myself again.”
Much has been made about the size difference between Arreola, who has fought as high as 263 pounds in his most recent outing – a fourth-round stoppage of Brian Minto back in December – and Adamek, who is two inches shorter than Arreola and weighed more than 40 pounds less in his most recent win over Estrada back in February.
“I don’t care about this David and Goliath crap. I’m not here to preach the Bible,” Arreola insisted. I don’t care. I’m a fighter and that’s what I do. I want to be in good boxing shape. I want to be able to go a full 12 rounds. As far as my weight, it’s just coming off. I plan to weigh in the high 230s.
“I consider Adamek a cruiserweight who doesn’t have to cut down. He’s a medicated heavyweight. I respect him but my job in this fight is to show him he doesn’t belong in the heavyweight division. Everybody knows how I became a heavyweight. He’s a known cruiserweight, and that’s just how it is. You can take it however you would like to take it, and that’s just how it is.
“Adamek is a great fighter. He’s won championships in two divisions. Am I motivated? Of course I’m motivated!”
And his trainer, Henry Ramirez agrees that Arreola has made the commitment necessary to win this fight and answer some of his detractors, as well has his own harshest critic – himself.
“Chris has done everything we have asked of him in this camp,” Ramirez acknowledged. “I think that has a lot to do with him having to prove himself. Maybe there are a lot of doubters since the Klitschko fight, and I think a way to get some of his fans back is for him to beat a guy like Adamek.”
Will the boxing skills and solid chin of the inspired, two-time world champion fighting with a heavy heart be enough to overcome the power-punching, menacing local hero, or will Adamek experience his biggest “Nightmare”? We’ll all find out on Saturday night, April 24th at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA and on HBO.
“RING OF FIRE” is promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions and Main Events in association with Ziggy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino.
Tickets for “RING OF FIRE” are priced at $250, $100, $70, and $35 and are available at Ticketmaster.com or at the Citizens Business Bank Arena Box Office. For more information please visit CBBankArena.com.
Tomasz Adamek, Main Events and Ziggy Rozalski Extend Condolences
Kathy Duva, CEO, Main Events issued this statement on behalf of the Main Events staff: “We at Main Events wish to extend our heartfelt sympathy to the families and friends of all who were lost in yesterday’s terrible plane crash. We were particularly saddened to hear that Piotr Nurowski, former Polsat Chairman and Chairman of the Polish Olympic Committee, was among the deceased. Our staff had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Nurowski at the Adamek-Golota fight in Lodz, Poland, just this past October.”
“So many people have been affected by this tragedy. All we can do is pray for the victims, their loved ones and for the Polish people who, no doubt, will remain strong and courageous as they deal with their grief.”
Tomasz Adamek expressed his grief: “Fate took friends, people who I always admired, distinguished Polish President Lech Kaczynski and the First Lady. Many people so important for my home country. Their families need us; they need compassion as they grieve.”
“I was looking forward to meeting President Kaczynski who not long ago extended an invitation to meet him for breakfast in the Presidential palace in Warsaw this May. There’s not much I can do, but I would like to dedicate my upcoming fight to all of those who perished Saturday morning and all those left grieving.”
“Poles living in America and my American friends have been calling me, saying words of sympathy because they know that I’m Polish. Today in the United States of America we all are Polish.”
Zyggi Rozalski, Adamek’s advisor, also extended his condolences: “Death has taken from us great people, people making the lives of all Poles much better. Among them, it took away my dear Friend, Polish Olympic Committee chairman, Piotr Nurowski. He was indispensable for Polish sports, and he did so many great things for boxing. They were people you cannot replace; people we will never meet again. My thoughts are with all the mourners in Poland and all over the world.”