Hard to believe you’re talking to a hard-punching heavyweight fighter when Joey “Minnesota Ice” Abell talks about how much he hates hurting people’s feelings, but he is indeed.
Coon Rapids, Minnesota’s Abell (28-5, 27 KOs) will be looking to pull off an upset when he takes on the more experienced two-time heavyweight title challenger “Fast” Fres Oquendo (33-7, 21 KOs) for the WBA Fedelatin Heavyweight Championship in the 10-round main event of Hitz Boxing’s “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” event at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, this Friday, May 25.
Abell became part of boxing infamy while suffering a disappointing TKO loss to top contender Chris Arreola in January of last year.
As he moved in for the stoppage, Arreola kissed Abell in a show of poor sportsmanship. “He’s a prick like that. That’s part of his thing; he’s the bad guy,” explained Abell of Arreola’s public persona. “Afterwards, he apologized, but I don’t understand people like him. I’ll never really completely get over that. He’s the kind of person that doesn’t care what he does. He’s could say something and completely wreck somebody’s self-esteem and not care. If I accidentally say something that might hurt someone’s feelings, I can’t live with myself.”
Abell says he’s glad to be moving forward from that experience and into this fight, another opportunity to move up the heavyweight ladder against a known commodity in Oquendo.
“I’m 100% ready for this fight.”
Abell and Oquendo are well-acquainted, as they two have helped each other in preparation for fights with sparring.
“Fres is very sneaky as a fighter and very fast. He taught me a lot. I’m not necessarily worried about his power, as far as hitting me and getting me in trouble, but anybody as quick as he is can knock you out with a punch you don’t see coming. But I think I’m just a smarter fighter. I’ve been dreaming about this fight and I hope I knock him out, but I’m not basing my fight plan on that. I’m going there, planning on winning a unanimous decision. He has a good chin and good defense, so it’s no use going out there and wasting all my energy in the first few rounds. I have to go out there and use my athletic ability, my power and my youth to win.”
Abell says he’s enjoying his new career as a personal trainer at Experience Fitness in Blaine, Minnesota, because it makes him feel good to see his clients transforming their bodies into who they want to be. “Maybe that’s my problem in boxing,” he laughs. “I’m not enough of a prick.”
The high-class atmosphere and luxurious surroundings the Horseshoe has to offer make their boxing shows a Las Vegas-style night of boxing that Chicago-area fans don’t have to get on a plane to enjoy.
The Horseshoe Casino has an intimate, comfortable venue with luxurious seats, a spectacular gaming area, free parking, exquisite food and all the amenities — and is just 20 minutes from Downtown Chicago.
Tickets for “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” are on sale now, starting at a fan appreciation price of $10, and are available at the “Venue” box office, ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster outlets.
