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Stiverne, Arreola meet again for heavyweight title

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bermane Stiverne stood in silence at the podium for an uncomfortably long moment, his face unreadable behind sunglasses.

When he finally spoke, the heavyweight title contender unleashed a torrent of taunts and profanity at Chris Arreola, who sat motionless and furious 5 feet away.

“In the back of your mind, you know what’s going to happen,” said Stiverne, who rarely even raises his voice in public. “In that ring, that mouth of yours, I’m going to shut it down. I’m going to take your head off. I’m going to knock you down and punish you all night. You can lose all the weight you want. It don’t matter.”

Stiverne and Arreola clearly understand the stakes of their rematch on Saturday at USC’s Galen Center. The winner will succeed Vitali Klitschko as the WBC’s heavyweight champion, returning what was once the most glamorous title in sports back to a U.S.-based fighter.

For nearly six years, only boxers named Klitschko have held the world’s major heavyweight belts. The Ukrainian brothers have loomed atop the division even longer than that, regularly humiliating the world’s largest boxers during an incredible run of joint dominance.

But the WBC title finally became vacant last December with Vitali Klitschko’s retirement into politics, and two veteran heavyweights get the first chance to take his place.

Stiverne (23-1-1, 20 KOs), a Haitian-born fighter who trains in Las Vegas, has been waiting well over a year for his title shot after a steady rise up the ranks. Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs), a brawler from nearby Riverside, is getting another crack at the WBC belt after losing to Klitschko in 2009 in the last heavyweight title fight in the U.S.

Stiverne beat Arreola a year ago in a clear decision, breaking Arreola’s nose in the third round and punishing him for the rest of the night. The fighters had been mutually respectful during the preparations for their rematch until Stiverne went off on Arreola on Thursday.

Arreola’s flickering motivation has always been his biggest flaw in a career littered with stories of lackluster training camps and outlandish partying when he should have been working. But Stiverne’s outburst got Arreola’s attention: The normally affable fighter refused to engage with Stiverne afterward, storming away from their news conference after defending himself.

“Yeah, you broke my nose,” Arreola said. “But on my worst night, you couldn’t stop me. You can do all the talking you want, but look at me and remember me. I’m finishing you off on Saturday night, and I’ll be the first Mexican heavyweight champion, and no one is ever going to remember you.

“You lit a fire under me now. I’ll give you the worst beating of your life.”

Even before the verbal fireworks, the matchup was intriguing enough to entice ESPN into a prime-time broadcast of the fight, putting both boxers in front of a huge worldwide audience.

American boxing clearly could benefit from a strong heavyweight champion to revitalize the division stateside after the stranglehold of the Klitschko brothers, who fight almost exclusively in Europe thanks to their lucrative deals with German television broadcasters.

The Klitschkos have held every major version of the heavyweight title since 2008, when Vitali Klitschko returned from an injury hiatus and beat Samuel Peter.

Whoever wins the belt Saturday won’t be Wladimir Klitschko’s peer quite yet, however.

Unbeaten heavyweight Deontay Wilder, who will be ringside, is the mandatory challenger for the winner. Then there’s Wladimir, who has won 17 straight title fights and is keen on unifying all four significant belts, now that he wouldn’t have to fight his brother to do it.

Until then, Stiverne and Arreola are focused on their chance to join the lineage of heavyweight champions.

“This is what I’ve been working toward my whole career,” Arreola said. “I’m not going to let him get in the way. I’m in shape, I’m focused, and I’m hungry as hell.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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