Heavyweight on Seth Mitchell KO & Stiverne Rematch
Heavyweight slugger Chris Arreola needed less than three minutes to dispatch of reigning WBC International heavyweight champ Seth Mitchell, snatching his belt within one round and reinvigorating Arreola’s quest for a world title.
This Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs) versus Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell (26-2-1, 19 KOs) matchup was the main event on Saturday’s Showtime Championship Boxing bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and held at the Fantasy Springs Resort & Casino in Indio, Calif.
The heavyweight brawl was scheduled for 12 rounds but no one expected it to go the distance. Maryland’s Mitchell (a former Michigan State linebacker) was coming off of a victory in his rematch against Johnathon Banks while Riverside’s Arreola was mending his broken nose in a loss to Haitian puncher Bermane Stiverne in April. Mitchell was the #2-ranked WBC heavyweight going into this clash while facing someone known for his power and come-forward aggressiveness.
Shaky on defense and suspect of chin, many in the boxing circles predicted Seth wouldn’t last long against the Mexican-American slugger. At the weigh-in (where both men weighed in at 242), everyone told me they thought fight would last about five or six rounds. Chris, promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions, has long battled criticism for his weight, training issues and more. So this desert duel would be a proving ground for both combatants. Mitchell needed to prove he had a jaw and longevity against the elite and Arreola needed to prove he’s serious about his career in one more chance for redemption. High stakes for both.
As the prizefighters entered the ring, the large crowd was on its feet. I watched Arreola say a prayer in his corner, hug his trainer Henry Ramirez before stepping up to go to work. A big right hand by Chris put the play in motion and it was just a matter of time before Seth went down again. A relentless Arreola took care of business, charging toward Mitchell until referee Jack Reiss waved off the contest at 2:26 in the opening round.
For Team Mitchell, this was a devastating blow to the 31-year-old ex-football player.
“Seth will probably take a break for a while,” a team member told me right after the fight. “We’re gonna have to reevaluate.”
And although Chris claimed it was “easy work” in the dismantling of his foe, he also told me that Mitchell can hit really hard. “Once he hit me with that one-two, I felt his power–he was strong–and I didn’t want to get caught with a sucker punch,” the heavyweight acknowledged.
In our video interview, Arreola also talks about what a difference training in Arizona made in his discipline and work ethic. He usually trains at Indian Willie Schunke private gym in Riverside, but this time the camp relocated to Phoenix where trainer Henry Ramirez took his fighters Arreola, Josesito Lopez and Jonathan Arellano to focus on training. “A big shout out to the Central Boxing Gym–and to the great people of Phoenix,” Henry said. “We thank you for embracing us. We will see you soon!”
Naysayers state Arreola has squandered golden opportunities to reach success while not taking camp seriously. But in Phoenix, things changed. Alarm clocks buzzed early. Temps were high and dry. Training was rigid. Sparring was strong with Rico Hoye and Damian “Bolo” Wills. Things changed for the heavyweight and not a moment too soon.
“I’m my own worst enemy!” Chris, 32, nods. “We only had ONE car, ONE key and Henry always kept that in his pocket so I couldn’t go nowhere without telling Henry!”
So what’s next for Team Arreola? After three defeats at the hands of Bermane Stiverne, Tomasz Adamek and Vitali Klitschko, Chris states again and again he wants Stiverne.
“I want Stiverne; he beat me,” Arreola answers. “Whether I had trained hard or not, it doesn’t matter. He beat me, he shattered my nose. He won that fight and I want my rematch!”
While there’s been a strong buzz about a Deontay Wilder-Chris Arreola clash, when I asked Chris about this he said (off camera): “F*** Deontay Wilder!”
Arreola has now set his sights on a world title. He promises to return to the gym soon saying: “It’s my time; it’s my time to reign. I’m a different man now. ”
Always a local fan favorite, the tattooed power puncher took time to greet fans who couldn’t resist shaking the hand of the new champ.
After his victory, I chatted with Team Arreola where they were celebrating the knockout win. Humble and down-to-earth, Chris was visiting with his family and friends in the hotel lobby along with wife Erin and their daughter, Danae. A couple of hours later, I ran into the team again. The prizefighter just won a new WBC belt and yet I saw Arreola cleaning a table top near the bar. “What are you doing, Chris? You’re working here now?” I joked. “Nah, someone spilled something so I had to clean it up,” he shrugged, flinging the white towel over his shoulder. He may be a “changed man” in regards to his now-regular training regimen but he remains the likable “just one of the guys” type that keeps his fans rooting for him.
And while his critics say he needs to train more and party less, I did see Arreola drinking a celebratory glass of…milk! Yes, milk does a body good. Well, I think there may have been a splash of Kahlua in the iced milk but, then again, Chris has never mistaken for a choir boy.
And Team Arreola plans on returning to Arizona for the next training camp. Coach Henry Ramirez and his boxer all rave about the support of the Central Boxing Gym and living in nearby Scottsdale. Running in the intense heat, sharing a house with cooking and cleaning duties, focusing on just training and having only one car to get around was apparently the right tonic “The Nightmare” needed.
If he gets his wish, a Bermane Stiverne rematch will be on the horizon. If Chris keeps his focus in training, he will get closer to his goal of winning a world title. He is already looking forward to heading back to Phoenix to train, so watch for this new rededicated Arreola to emerge once again.
Time will tell how serious he is about reaching the top pinnacle in the fight game.
Photos by Michele Chong