On Tuesday was the final press conference was held at the Nokia Plaza in LA for the WBC heavyweight championship between current WBC champion "Dr. Ironfist" Vitali Klitschko (37-2, 36 KOs) and the WBC #1 mandatory Cristobal "The Nightmare" Arreola (27-0, 24 KOs) which will take place on Saturday, September 26th at the Staples Center in Los Angles, CA.
There was a lot of press there(reportedly more than usual), and Vitali's brother Wladimir was there as well. There were also the undercard fighters who had a few words which you can view at towards the bottom of this post.
After the press conference Ring Magazine awarded Wladimir Klitschko with their belt adding to his 3 belts making it 4 total with the WBO, IBF, and IBO. He was awarded this Ring belt because he defeated the Ring's #3 ranked Ruslan Chagaev in his last fight.
Klitschko Arreola Final Press Conference Video
Notice the stare down at the end? Think Arreola might be getting 2nd thoughts after that...
Klitschko Arreola Press Conference In Spanish
*Highlights of the final press conference in Spanish...
Arreola Interview At Final Press Conference
Tom Loeffler Interview At Klitschko Arreola At Final Press Conference
Here are quotes from the final press conference..
Vitali Klitschko Quotes
“The question is, who will be the winner? I don’t know. It’s a heavyweight fight; it’s boxing, where any one punch can decide the outcome."
“After five weeks of training, 100 miles of running, and over 100 rounds of sparring, I can now answer that question. I am in great shape, ready for a great performance and ready to show my skills in the ring."
“Five weeks ago, if you asked me that question (who would win?), I wouldn’t have been able to answer it. Now, after my training camp, I can tell you that I will win."
“Arreola is a tough guy, a big puncher, but he doesn’t have the experience in the ring."
“Saturday will be a real good fight. If you have good opponents, you look good."
“This will be a real heavyweight fight. I am more than sure that I will exit the ring as heavyweight champion of the world."
“I know it’s very important to focus on the fight and be 100 percent ready."
“Some people ask if I’m overlooking Arreola and thinking about the future. Chris, I think about you, I prepare for the fight and I will give it my best."
“I take it step by step. I don’t think about the future because there is no future without a victory Saturday night."
“I have never fought anyone with such a good record as Arreola. I know he’s a good fighter and I prepared for the hardest fight of my career."
“Can Arreola beat me? I don’t think so. Can he hit me hard? Maybe."
“It’s very interesting for me because this time I have no injuries and am 100 percent."
“Ten years ago I won my first world title belt. Right now, I have 10 years experience as a world champ. Right now, that will make all the difference."
“He may punch hard, but I’ll duck. He won’t knock me out."
“I am ready and I can’t wait until Saturday night."
Vitali Klitschko also responded to the rumor of him fighting in December: “I don’t know of any fight in December, I too just read about that on the Internet.”
Arreola Quotes
CRISTOBAL ARREOLA
“Vitali Klitschko has never fought anyone like me; someone that’s willing to take a punch to give a punch, or someone that has a lot of heart and fights with emotions.
“There’s always strategy going into a fight. But the thing about it is you always take it as you go in the ring and always you think about training; you have to get inside the jab. You can’t let him stretch his hands out and you go balls to the wall. You take the fight to him and make it a fight he’s not used to.
“This is a fight that definitely won’t go the distance. It’s going to be a fight that everyone’s going to want to see. It is not going be one of those boring jab fests.”
“Not only (becoming the first world heavyweight champion of Mexican descent) would it be history, but it’s a legacy I can leave behind. It means everything to me!”
“It is very hot today and I didn’t want to leave my house but I am here for all my fans. I’m taking this fight personal now, what bugs me is that Klitschko is taking me lightly.”
“I just found out that Klitschko has a set date to fight in December, he hasn’t beaten me and he’s already planning to fight someone else. I find it to be disrespectful. I am no walk in the park, Yeah, he will fight in December but isn’t going to be for a world title, that I guarantee.”
“I have a chance to win, this is not a fight for money. I am here to make history. To me that’s worth a lot more. It really pissed me off about him fighting in December, but it’s a good thing because it motivated me to really kick his ass.”
Henry Ramirez Quotes
*Arreola’s trainer
“He’s ready to go. It’s the week of the fight; we have fight week festivities and we have a few days before we go to work, and we’re ready to go.
“Vitali’s a big guy and it’s kinda hard to get guys to emulate that style. But the thing about Chris that is hard to emulate is the pressure that Chris brings is unlike any other. You cannot emulate it. It is pressure that is unbelievable and he (Klitschko) has never been in with it.
“I agree this fight won’t go the distance, but unlike everybody else I feel the longer it goes the better it is for Chris.”
Dan Goossen Quotes
*President, Goossen Tutor Promotions)
“We’ve had our big fights. The key to this one is realizing there is nothing wrong with getting lost in the moment of fighting for the heavyweight championship and making history. But when everything is said and done you have to go out there and walk through the tunnel at Buckeye Stadium as a freshman QB and go out and do what you do as an athlete, and Arreola will be up to the task.
“When Vitali talks about experience, forget it. The point of it is, experience is great if you’re not ready to play the big game. The great ones overcome all that and just go out and play the game.
“There’s no stopping Chris Arreola, not because he’s my fighter but because he is a true fighter that’s got the will and determination, the guts, the goals, the ability and the willingness. I’ll show you a world champion with what I just described.
“And there isn’t going to be anything that stops him Saturday night. That is my belief. Arreola will knock him out.”
Bernd Boente Quotes
*Managing director of KMG(Klitschko Management Group)
“I think it’s a fantastic fight and STAPLES (Center) is the right place to do it. It’s a very, very tough, young gun over here with Chris Arreola. He’s unbeaten, and he wants to prove that he can also be the best in the division."
“On the other hand, we have a very, very experienced three-time heavyweight champion with the best knockout percentage in the heavyweight division ever. I think it’s a great, great matchup and this is exactly what the heavyweight division needs."
“I’m looking forward to a great fight. The media interest is gigantic. We have, I think, 380 media requests from journalists who want to come to this fight. We have 113 countries who are broadcasting it, including the biggest Chinese TV station and the biggest Russian TV station. So, it’s gigantic."
“I’m sure it’ll be a great fight and a great win by Vitali Klitschko.”
Fritz Sdunek Quotes
*Vitali Klitschko’s Trainer
“We’re happy to be back in L.A. We had a great training camp and we went swimming at UCLA. We’re really looking forward to Saturday night. Vitali is in great shape and didn’t have any injuries while training. We’ll probably see a knockout on Saturday night."
Tom Loeffler Quotes
*Directing manager of K2 Promotions
“We’re really excited about Saturday’s fight card. It’s really a worldwide event. It will be broadcast in over 100 countries internationally.”
“I think Dan (Goossen) will agree, and I think the fighters have already said in a number of interviews: This fight’s not going 12 rounds. It’s not going to be a boxing show. It’s going to be a knockout spectacle. Vitali, with his knockout ratio, and Chris isn’t going to run from Vitali.
“There will be fireworks aplenty this Saturday at STAPLES Center.”
Ivan Goldman Quotes
RING Magazine Representative, who presented the belt to Wladimir Klitschko
“When you have a good fight, a good fighter will win and a good fighter will lose. Vitali Klitschko had the Ring Magazine belt before he retired and now this is just the second set of brothers to hold the Ring belt."
“Wladimir makes it look easy, and he made it look easy against (Ruslan) Chagaev. But, we know it’s not easy. He’s a gentleman and a proud fighter, and it’s my pleasure to award this belt to Wladimir. It’s a difficult belt to win and it’s my pleasure to give it to a great champ.”
Wladimir Klitschko Quotes
“It’s going to be a great fight on Saturday night. I wish both my brother and Chris good luck in the fight.
“Thank you for the belt. For five years I have been hunting for this belt, and now I have it. It is an honor to have it
Tony Wlaker Quotes
*HBO representative
“We’re all looking forward to Saturday’s show being what a heavyweight fight should be – lots of action and two big guys going at it to show who the best is. Vitali and Chris have never disappointed in their action in the ring, and I know we’re going to see just a great show Saturday night.”
This is the undercard....
Salvador Sanchez II Quotes
"It is a pleasure to have my first fight in Los Angeles. It is an honor to be fighting on this card and I want to demonstrate to the fans my skills. Not only do I have the name of a champion, I have the skills to be a champion."
Javier Mora Quotes
"I'm happy to be on this card and I'll be looking to do what I do best on Saturday."
Johnathan Banks Quotes
*Fighting as heavyweight and trained under Emanuel Steward
"I'll be looking forward to stepping in to the ring Saturday night."
Jorge Gamboa Quotes
“Viva Mexico and it’s time to go! We’ll be cheering you (Cristobal) on Saturday night and expect you to bring the title back to Mexico.”
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Also, if you still need tickets for the Klitschko vs Arreola fight go here.
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