Q&A with Head Coach: Eddie Arrazola
We all love a good origin story. We talked with Lobos Boxing Club’s Head Coach, Eddie Arrazola, to ask about his roots in boxing and what makes him tick.
Opening Round
What got you into the sport of boxing and did anyone play a big role in your development?
I've been doing martial arts since I was about five and boxing was kind of the natural progression. My grandfather was a boxer and a Luchador. He’s the one that got me started and got me to really like it. I'm half Mexican, so it's kind of a part of our culture. We grew up watching boxing and idolizing fighters. Once I got to college, that’s when I started training hardcore in boxing.
Once you were all in on boxing, what was your first gym and what was that experience like?
The gym is called Trinity Boxing in New York. It’s an old-school type of place like The Waterfront. The owner was a throwback type and trained at Gleasons. I felt very lucky to learn from him because he taught me a lot about being a coach. So from there, I became an apprentice, with the intention of being a coach.
What brought you to Los Angeles from New York?
I actually helped open the Trinity boxing gym here in LA. I was a part of it for a very long time. At some point, I started developing my own philosophy and my own way of teaching. I wanted to combine my martial arts background with the boxing gym experience. Martial arts gyms are nice, clean, and very respectful. Boxing gyms have that level of authenticity that’s a lot of fun and filled with interesting characters. I wanted to combine elements of both the Martial Arts Academy's cleanliness and respect, and the authenticity and fun found in a boxing gym. That’s what got me to open Lobos Boxing Club in 2019.
As a boxer, what would you say was the hardest challenge when you first started training?
Killing your ego. You have to accept that you're not gonna be good at everything and you have to be willing to learn. You have to be willing to suck but put in the hard work. You're going to have bad days and it's not always going to be fun. But if you love the “not being good” part and learn to get excited when something is difficult and new, that makes it fun.
With the philosophy you’ve developed over the years in martial arts and boxing, how do you apply that in everyday life?
My favorite quote from the stoic philosophy is “Amor Fati”, which means “love your fate”. So if it's something great happens, that’s good. If something bad happens, that's good too. It comes down to embracing everything, whatever it is. I've learned that boxing teaches you how to solve problems. It's problem-solving for any situation. When a tough situation presents itself, you’re not stressing about it. You’re like, “Okay, how do I solve this?” or “What are my options?” That's helped me in everything. We had a pandemic happen six months into opening Lobos, which was awesome for a first-time business owner (laughs). So I just used that philosophy. I looked at it like it was going to be fine. This was meant to happen.
Speed Round
Favorite fighter in your weight class?
Evander Holyfield. He was a cruiserweight. Probably one of the best of all time.
What was the best fight you've seen live?
I saw Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua. That was incredible. And then I saw Marquez vs Vasquez 3. That was a really good fight. Believe it or not, I think some of the best fights are in the gym during sparring. It’s a lot of fun to watch.
Here’s a scenario: You’ve finished a rigorous fight camp and you’ve won the fight. If you can have anything in the world, what’s your celebratory meal?
Probably chocolate chip cookies. I eat really healthy and I don't really like bad food. My only vice is cookies, so going without it for a few months would make me very aggressive. (laughs)
Final Bell
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
I would love to grow this gym enough to eventually open a couple more locations. I believe what we teach here, especially with the kid’s program, is beneficial to people. I would like to see this on a larger scale and help more people because I see the impact it has on people's lives.
