HBO Boxing: Cristobal “The Nightmare†Arreola
On Saturday, November 29, undefeated Cristobal “The Nightmare†Arreola will be taking what he hopes is another step toward a World Heavyweight Championship, when he defends his WBC Continental Americas title against Travis “Freight Train†Walker on the first-ever professional boxing card to be held at the new state-of-the-art Citizens Business Bank Arenain Ontario, California.
And while preparing to do battle with a hard-hitting, world class heavyweight is nothing new for the Riverside, California native with an unblemished 25-0 record including 22 knockouts, being followed around by a world class camera crew was certainly a new experience for the 27-year old Mexican-American knockout artist.
HBO Sports which will televise the Arreola-Walker contest on “HBO: Boxing After Dark†as co-feature to the interim 12-round WBO Super Welterweight Championship Bout between Paul “The Punisher†Williams and Verno Phillips, has developed a series of original human interest short features on eight promising young boxers entitled “Ring Life.†One of the principal subjects is Arreola.
“It was a pretty surreal experience having cameras with you and having to answer all kinds of questions,†Arreola conveyed. “I’m not used to it. I kept asking myself, ‘How did I get here? Is this how it’s gonna be when I’m Heavyweight Champion of the World? Overall it was a pretty cool experience.â€
“Chris was extremely cooperative during production,†acknowledged Dan Klein, of Wonderland Productions, which shot the footage for HBO. “He opened up his home to us and took us inside his training. We shot inside Chris’ home, on the horse trails he uses for roadwork, at local restaurants and barbershops, on the road in his car and inside his gym.â€
Arreola agreed to participate in the HBO series and allowed full access to his daily routine as he prepared for his biggest fight to date – one in which has Walker’s NABF Heavyweight title at stake and is also being sanctioned as an IBF Heavyweight Elimination bout.
“Whatever Dan (Goossen) says I am good with,†Arreola said. “I don’t question Dan. I know he asked me to do this for my own good. It’s great exposure for me. After being in boxing for 15 years, it’s finally paying off.â€
“HBO is interested in profiling up and coming fighters with great back-stories,†explained Thomas Huffine, coordinating producer for this HBO short series. “The goal of this series is to build awareness of the dedication and commitment that these fighters have to realize their dreams.â€
Arreola’s story will be portrayed on “Ring Life†in three separate, four-six minute segments narrated by HBO boxing commentator Jim Lampley on tonight, November 24th, December 1st and 8th. These may be seen on HBO digital media platforms including HBO.com (http://www.hbo.com/ringlife/), HBO Mobile, HBO’s YouTube Channel, and as free podcasts via Apple’s iTunes Music Store. Ring Life will also be offered on HBO On Demand as of December.
The executive producer for HBO Sports is Rick Bernstein.