Chris Arreola Fights for World Heavyweight Crown
Does LA Slugger Have Chance vs Klitschko?
Sep 18, 2009
Arreola will face Vitali Klitschko in a scheduled 12-round bout Sept. 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. At stake will be Klitschko's WBC heavyweight title.
Not only will Arreola try to become the first fighter of Mexican descent to claim a world heavyweight title, he'll aim to become first Los Angeles-born fighter to take the belt.
While Los Angeles has been a hot bed of boxing talent, it hasn't exactly been a cradle of heavyweight greatness. Former WBA champion Mike Weaver hailed from Diamond Bar in L.A. County, but the area hasn't turned out much else for boxing's glamour division.
Ironically, Klitschko now lives in LA and calls it his home. And the 6-7 Ukrainian native will be fighting for the third time at the Staples Center.
His frustrating 2006 TKO loss to Lennox Lewis was held there, as was his eighth-round TKO win over Corrie Sanders in 2004.
The Sept. 26 bout will be the main attraction of an HBO telecast that begins at 7 p.m. PST.
Arreola's Been 'Nightmare' for Opponents
Known as "The Nightmare," the 6-foot-4 Arreola owns a 27-0 record with 24 knockouts. The 28-year-old is a high-pressure fighter who likes to get in close and outpunch his opposition.
While his KO percentage indicates pure power, he likes to unleash punches in combinations instead of loading up for the single-blow knockout. That "punches in bunches" philosophy was developed during an extensive amateur career.
Only once has one of Arreola's pro fights gone the distance -- a six-round decision victory in 2005. The only two other non-knockouts on his record are disqualification victories.
Arreola's knocked 10 opponents out in the first round, and has gone past eight rounds on only four occasions. In his last bout, he knocked Jameel McCline out cold in the fourth round last April.
Questions about Arreola often involve his conditioning. He fought at around 230 pounds for four bouts in 2007, but has been over 254 for his last three fights.
Also, Arreola's defense is suspect, and while he's shown a good chin, he's never really been tagged by someone like Klitschko. After all, he hasn't fought anybody of Klitschko's caliber.
Klitschko's Never Really Been Beaten
Klitschko (37-2) is definitely a potent pugilistic package. He stands 6-7, he has boxing skills, and he can hit. All but one of his wins have come by knockout.
And to top it off, Klitschko has never really been beaten in the ring. His first defeat came in 2000, when a shoulder caused him to quit on his stool after the ninth round of a bout vs. Chris Byrd. Klitschko was winning on two of three scorecards.
In 2004, Klitschko lost to Lennox Lewis by a sixth-round TKO because of a cut over his right eye. The Ukrainian was winning on all three scorecards.
Perhaps the biggest concern for Klitschko is his age and his health. He's 38 years olds, and his career's been marred by injury.
Klitschko, who's been fighting at around 250 pounds, was inactive for nearly four years after announcing his retirement in 2005. The Sept. 26 bout will be his third since launching a comeback in 2008. He'll be making the second defense of a title he won by defeating Samuel Peter in October of that year.
Arreola-Klitschko Bout Not Likely to Go Distance
It would be wrong to say that Arreola has no chance, but Klitschko's definitely the favorite
Undoubtedly, Arreola will have to take some punches in order to land them. Arreola throws the wider shots, so chances are Klitschko's straight shots will get their first.
If Arreola can take a few big ones without getting hurt, he could be in a position to chop the older man down within five rounds. If not, it'll be over before that, in Klitschko's favor.
