LAS VEGAS (October 29, 2015) – Halloween is the spookiest time of the year. The holiday is known to expose the inner scaredy cat in people of all ages, including the toughest athletes.
Several Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) fighters took time out to share their favorite Halloween memories along with what gives them a fright. Just because one is tough in the ring doesn’t mean they’re tough enough for Halloween.
(Fighters are listed alphabetically)
Do you have a favorite Halloween costume you’ve worn in the past?
Chris Arreola (Heavyweight contender) – “I just like dressing up as something super creepy. I’m dressing up as a mime this year, but giving it my own little spin.”
Andre Dirrell (2004 Olympic Bronze medalist) – “I’m a festive guy to begin with and Halloween is my favorite holiday. I went all out on this one costume. It’s a ghoul that makes me approximately 10 feet tall when I wear it. I actually got an offer to work at a haunted house because the costume is so great, and I did it for about an hour and a half before I got too cold and had to quit to go inside. Michigan winters are no joke.”
Anthony Dirrell (Former world champion defeated Marco Antonio Rubio on September 6 on PBC on CBS) – “I didn’t really wear them when I was growing up. We really couldn’t afford them. I’d usually just draw something on my face.”
Ahmed Elbiali (Undefeated light heavyweight prospect defeated Mariano Hilario on October 13 on PBC Toe-to-Toe Tuesdays on FS1) – “I was Zorro for Halloween and got a lot of compliments since I made the costume myself.”
Miguel Flores (Undefeated featherweight prospect) – “Never really wore costumes because of my parents, who were old school.”
Danny Garcia (Undefeated star defeated Paulie Malignaggi on August 1 on PBC on ESPN) -“The Scream mask because that was one of my favorite scary movies when it first came out.”
Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. (Fights Karim Guerfi on November 10 on PBC’s TOE-TO-TOE Tuesdays on FS1 and FOX Deportes) – “My favorite costume was the killer from the Scream movies. I wore the mask and everything when I was 12.”
Tony Harrison (Fights Cecil McCalla on Halloween on PBC on NBCSN) – “I always like to be somebody scary. When I was little, my mom used to make our costumes. She’s really creative and would make us great costumes without having to spend a lot.”
Daniel Jacobs (Middleweight world champion, fights Peter Quillin on December 5 on SHOWTIME) – “I was a gorilla boxer. I had a full gorilla suit on with boxing gloves. I had an amateur belt on. No one knew that it was me in the costume and I was going into stores and scaring people and boxing on them. It was fun.”
Erislandy Lara (Super welterweight world champion, fights Jan Zaveck on November 25 on PBC on ESPN) – “No, it all depends on what my wife and kids decide that year (laughs).”
Abner Mares (Former three-division world champion) – “We never had enough money for Halloween costumes but one year my mother painted my face for a costume and took me out trick-or-treating.”
John Molina Jr. (Super lightweight contender) – “I like getting wrapped in aluminum foil and going as leftovers.This year my daughter will be Tinker Bell and I will be Peter Pan.”
Edwin Rodriguez (Light Heavyweight Contender faces Michael Seals on November 13 on PBC on Spike) – “When I dressed up as Rocky about three years ago. It was an easy costume to make – obviously.”
Leo Santa Cruz (Two-division world champion defeated Abner Mares on August 29 on PBC on ESPN) – “I’ve never worn a Halloween costume, but I always go trick or treating. I like to take my daughter trick or treating and this year she’s dressing up as My Little Pony.”
Sammy Vasquez Jr. – (Undefeated welterweight contender defeated Jose Lopez on September 15 on PBC Toe-to-Toe Tuesdays on FS1) – “The best was a bloody zombie with guts hanging out and a broken leg.”
What is your favorite candy?
Chris Arreola – “Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are my favorite.”
Mario Barrios- “Snickers really satisfy me.”
Jermell Charlo – “Twizzlers.”
Andre Dirrell – “I like soft candy. I’m not a fan of the hard stuff. I like that quick flavor boost!”
Anthony Dirrell – “I love all the soft candy. I’m not a big fan of the hard candy though.”
Ahmed Elbiali – “Almond Joy.”
Miguel Flores- “Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.”
Danny Garcia – “Milk Duds. It doesn’t’ bother me that it gets stuck in my teeth or anything.”
Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. – “All chocolate, but Snickers are my favorite.”
Tony Harrison – “I don’t really have one type favorite type of candy. When I was younger we used to always go to the rich neighborhoods where they give out the big candy bars, not the little fun-sized ones. We’d go back two and three times, hit them again and again. They didn’t care and we loved it.”
Daniel Jacobs – “Candy corn. For Halloween that is my favorite candy, but it doesn’t come around that often and I like that.”
Erislandy Lara – “Chocolate Kinder from Germany. My wife is from Germany and once I tasted them I was scared I would have to fight at heavyweight.”
Abner Mares – “Snickers.”
Aron Martinez – “I love M&M’s and Snickers.”
John Molina Jr. – “I love Candy Corn.”
Leo Santa Cruz – “Snickers & Kit Kats.”
Tony Thompson- “My favorite candies are frozen Snickers and Twix! I’m also partial to Oreos.”
Sammy Vasquez Jr. – “My favorite is Kit Kats.”
NOTE:
33% of fighters chose Snickers.
Do you have a favorite Halloween memory?
Chris Arreola – “Growing up in Huntington Park, kids would only trick or treat when it got dark. In 1988, I remember I dressed up as a hunchback and we went up and down Pacific Avenue and got a ton of candy.”
Mario Barrios – “Going to haunted houses with my sisters was always a good time”
Jermell Charlo – “I used to compete with my brother to see who could get the most Halloween candy, I remember doing that.”
Andre Dirrell – ” I don’t really have a particular favorite memory yet, but I’ll be looking to create one this year. I’m going to Disney World with my kids for a few days this year. We’ll be dressing up as the Addams Family.”
Anthony Dirrell – “The best times were going door to door in the rich neighborhoods where they give out the big candy bars.”
Ahmed Elbiali – “My friends and I used to egg houses and jack candy baskets for ourselves. It was a bit devious but fun.”
Miguel Flores- “My parents wouldn’t let me go trick-or-treating, they thought it was dangerous, so we would have to sneak in some candy from friends.”
Danny Garcia – “I have two little sisters so I would dress up, wear a mask and go around with them. I have a feeling this year will be my favorite because I have my new baby and she is dressing up as a pumpkin.”
Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. – “I don’t have a favorite memory, because I like every Halloween because of the candy and scary people.”
Tony Harrison – “My favorite memories were never about candy or anything like that. When I got to be a teenager, my friends and I used to get together and do all kinds of crazy stuff on Halloween night. We had a ball starting trouble. Now that I’m more mature I realize that wasn’t the right way to act, but it was the time of my life back then.”
Daniel Jacobs – “Anytime I am spending time with my son. We went to a theme party recently and it was Toy Story. He was Buzz Lightyear, I was Woody and his mom dressed like Woody’s wife.”
Erislandy Lara – “In Cuba they don’t celebrate Halloween but my favorite moments have been trick-or-treating with my kids here in the U.S.: they really enjoy it.”
Abner Mares – “We weren’t always able to participate in Halloween when I was growing up, but my kids love the holiday so the time spent with them is most memorable.”
Aron Martinez -“About seven years ago our family turned our house into a haunted house and dressed up as zombies to scare all the kids. That was a lot of fun.”
John Molina Jr.- “My favorite was going as a boxer when I was 9 years old and wearing my dad’s boxing gear.”
Edwin Rodriguez – “I don’t really like Halloween so I never cared too much about it. My kids love it though and they’re dressing up as Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach this year. It’s a big deal to them.”
Leo Santa Cruz – “When we were younger, my cousins used to jump in front of cars with masks on and start dancing really funny or making funny moves and the people in the cars would start laughing.”
Tony Thompson – “I love any of the DC Comics super heroes. I remember liking all of them.”
Sammy Vasquez Jr. – “My favorite Halloween memory is when I scared these older, bigger kids who were trick or treating. When they came to the house I hid behind the bushes with a bloody Jason mask and jumped out and chased them. They threw their buckets of candy in the air and were pushing and running after each other. I got all the candy they left behind!”
Do you have a favorite scary movie?
Chris Arreola- “The Paranormal Activity movies are the best.”
Mario Barrios- “The movie It. That clown was creepy.”
Jermell Charlo – “I don’t really watch movies at all. I don’t even think I could name one. Maybe Texas Chainsaw Massacre? I think I’ve seen that, but I definitely don’t have a favorite.”
Andre Dirrell- “Scary movies are my favorite. My kids love Hocus Pocus. I’m a big fan of Sleepy Hollow with Johnny Depp and Freddy Krueger.”
Anthony Dirrell – “I watched all the Saw movies. They were good. But I think Freddie Krueger or Jason might be the best.”
Ahmed Elbiali- “The movie Scary Movie (laughs)”.
Miguel Flores- “Paranormal Activity.”
Danny Garcia – “Besides Scream, I liked The Purge. It stuck with me because it reminds me of boxing – you have 45 minutes to punch someone legally without consequence.”
Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. – “Friday the 13th.”
Tony Harrison – “I used to be scared of the Candyman. You’d say his name three times in the mirror and then he’d come get you. I was terrified of that stuff becoming true. My older cousins used to say things to make us believe crazy stories like that, so I was scared of the Candymanuntil I knew better.”
Daniel Jacobs – “I love scary movies. I like American Horror Story. That is more of a series, but it is really good.”
Erislandy Lara – ” I don’t like scary movies (laughs).”
Abner Mares – “All of the Chucky movies”
Aron Martinez- “I really liked Paranormal Activity.”
John Molina Jr. – “Scary movies scare me. The Exorcist is really scary.”
Edwin Rodriguez – “Friday the 13th. And funny, my fight is also on Friday the 13th.”
Leo Santa Cruz – “The Exorcist.”
Tony Thompson – “My favorite scary movie is probably The Exorcist or Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Sammy Vasquez Jr. – “I would have to say Beetlejuice.”
What scares you?
Chris Arreola- ” When I was a kid I was scared of Nightmare on Elm Street movies”.
Mario Barrios – “Excorcisms”
Jermell Charlo – “I’m scared of haunted things, like hearing noises in my house and stuff. That scares me.”
Andre Dirrell – “I might get scared of a really big dog, but I don’t scare easy. As a youngster I used to watch all the scary stuff by myself, so nothing really gets to me now. There’s actually a new series on TV called Hellevator and I filled out an application to be on the show because I love that type of stuff.”
Anthony Dirrell- “Nothing scares me. I’ll do anything.”
Ahmed Elbiali – ” Heights.”
Miguel Flores- ” Dark places.”
Danny Garcia – “Nothing to be honest. I am a fighter. I’m crazy already. I’m not afraid of ghosts or anything.”
Tony Harrison – “Not becoming ‘something’ scares me the most. I just want to be remembered for something great.”
Daniel Jacobs- “I think waking up in the middle of the night and seeing stuff in the dark and thinking it is something scary or demonic. When you first wake up and you see things and you’re eyes aren’t open and things aren’t what they seem. That happened to me like three weeks ago!”
Erislandy Lara- ” Death.
Aron Martinez – “I’m scared of rollercoasters and scary movies.”
John Molina Jr. – “Scary movies scare me. The Exorcist is really scary.”
Edwin Rodriguez – “I’m not trying to act hard, but I can’t really think of something that scares me.”
Leo Santa Cruz – “Being alone at night is scary sometimes.”
Tony Thompson – “The only thing that scares me is not being able to provide for my kids.”
Sammy Vasquez Jr. – “I’m scared of the unknown, like going into a haunted place by myself and not knowing what’s around the corner.”
