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Sopranos Yo-Yo Mendez shocked the boxing world but Chris Arreola won't
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Heavy work for champion Vitali Kltischko, challenger Chris Arreola in LA on HBO (Los Angeles Times Photo)
I’ve witnessed some heavyweight miracles in my boxing life.
I was in the press section in Tokyo when James “Buster” Douglas summoned his courage and his strength to upset seemingly unstoppable Mike Tyson on a Sunday afternoon in the Tokyo Dome in 1990.
In Lewiston, Maine, in 1965, I was playing hooky from junior school when I was Muhammad Ali’s personal guest to watch him flatten fearsome Charles “Sonny” Liston with the so-called “Anchor Punch” in one wild round.
This past Wednesday night, I saw heavyweight upset lightning strike New England again but with a lot less riding on the outcome.
I was in Manchester, New Hampshire, staying at a Holiday Inn adjacent to a cemetery where it believed many of Faruq “The Dream” Saleem’s 38 pro ring victims had been dug up.
He was supposed to be in with another soft touch at the Verizon Wireless Arena Wednesday night, the Butch Lewis handled favorite drawing lightly-regarded, three victories against four losses professional actor Shawn McClain as his opponent.
Courtesy HBO.com
But this actor, instead of following the script, flipped it.
McClain, a 34 year old from Harlem, went all “Yo-Yo Mendez” (the corner drug slinger who was given a wicked beat by the Chris Mollisanti character on “The Sopranos”) on the bigger, more experienced boxer.
McClain stopped Saleem in the fourth round, causing “The Dream” to have a nightmare not to mention the agita and stress it gave to Lewis, now a Def Jam Records honcho and a part owner of the NBA Carolina Bobcats but better known in boxing as the guy who adroitly maneuvered Michael Spinks into as $13.5 million purse to fight Brother Tyson and pushed the Spinks Jinx to two whopping victories over legend Larry Holmes.
McClain floored the hulking Saleem twice and, when the prohibitive favorite twice asked the referee “Where am I?” the proceedings were halted.
I felt a bit sorry for Lewis but then I realized he would still be hanging out and doing business deals with Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, Jay Z and BET founder Bob Johnson regardless of Saleem’s defeat.
My remark that Saleem’s loss could be “addition by subtraction” for the promoter did not seem to lessen his shock.
Good luck to McClain, given his age and now having scored two upsets in succession. The market for 3-4 tomato cans who turn undefeated prospects into suspects is a tad limited.
Such an upset, especially when someone was campaigning on Facebook for a write in campaign to castigate the state commission for permitting such a mismatch, can restore one’s dwindling faith in the integrity of boxing.
In what other sport could you see a 3-4 fight upset much less KTFO a guy with a 38-0 record?
Longtime area promoter Subway Sam Silverman must be spinning like a gyroscope in his grave upon getting this result.
I say all this to get on the record thusly, America is a big country, I know, but we had our heavyweight shocker Wednesday.
The only shock as to roly-poly Chris Arreola will be in LA (HBO) Saturday night will be if he gets through four rounds and is still vertical given the heavy artillery Vitali Klitschko will throw at his pudgy body and large head.
VK could do the job sooner but, hey, he is fast approaching 40 so cut him some slack.
I’m Michael Marley, I know heavyweight shockers and I say Klitschko by KO in four.
If it goes longer, the Ukrainian will e carrying Arreola on his back like a piano.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Biographical background on Arreola from ValleyNews.com, Riverside, Ca.:
Arreola moved from East Los Angeles to Riverside as a teenager with his mother Lucy following his parents' divorce.
Arreola finished his sophomore year at La Sierra High School. He spent the first two months of his junior year at Canyon Springs High School, but was unhappy there and transferred rtisement
to Ramona High School where he played on its basketball team and eventually graduated.
Arreola attended Riverside Community College for a year, then left school in order to work and help his family financially. The first job he had was working as a carpenter for a company that restored homes.
Arreola began boxing as a child in 1987. In 2001, he won the National Golden Gloves championship in the 178-pound class, then took a two-year hiatus from boxing.
``To be honest I was young and immature and didn't know what to do with myself,'' Arreola said.
FROM IMDB:
"Yo-Yo" Mendez
• Played by: Shawn McLean
• Appears in: "Meadowlands"
"Yo-Yo" is a drug dealer who pays points to Christopher early on in his career. It is implied that his nickname comes from his constant usage of a yo-yo on his street corner, though he only makes one appearance in the series. During the war of 1999, Junior Soprano moves in on Christopher's territory and has "Yo-Yo" pay up to him instead. Upon hearing this, Christopher beats "Yo-Yo" on a street corner and says if he pays points to anyone but him that he's "coming back for your thumbs."
FROM WIKIQUOTE:
- Yo Yo Mendez: Junior Soprano's boys. They said you was out and its they corner now.
- Christopher Moltisanti: You let them do that?
- Yo Yo Mendez: I don't argue too well suckin' on a smith and wesson.
- Christopher Moltisanti: You didn't beep me?
- Yo Yo Mendez: Word on the street, you're out o' commision. Sorry man, business. Chris, you know there's no one I'd rather give my ten points to than you!
- Christopher Moltisanti: It's alright. It's not your fault.
- Yo Yo Mendez: He..I'm glad to hear you you say that man. (Chris slam kicks Mendez right in the nuts and proceeds to kick his ass) Ayy!!! Sneaky mother fucker!!! Ah! Shit!! Oh!!
- Christopher Moltisanti: I don't care if they shove a scud missile up your ass. This is my corner. You pay any one but me, I'm comin' back for your thumbs. And that didn't happen what you said.
- Yo Yo Mendez: Kill you...(lying on the floor messed up)
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