Countless fighters have laced up the gloves in the bang for your buck business in search of becoming a world champion, but only a select few have reached the pinnacle of boxing, while others have fallen wayside to the crowned kings of the “sweet science”. So can the undefeated heavyweight contender Chris Arreola 27-0 (24), who is bidding for a title shot get his gold?
Well, he has certainly earned his shot at glory, and will now have the chance at becoming a heavyweight king.
After becoming the 2001 National Golden Gloves Champion, September of 2003, Riverside resident Chris Arreola embarked on a journey to work his way up to a title shot. After debuting with a second round knock out over (2-1) Roosevelt Parker, except for one fight being won on a disqualification, a hard hitting Arreola would go on to stop his first ten opponents by way knockout, before earning his first bout via decision with a unanimous decision victory over veteran journeyman Andrew Greely.
An unbeaten Arreola had his first moment to shine in 2006 when he took on and took out the former cruiserweight contender Lee Manuel Ossie of Liberia in the opening round on ESPN.
On the undercard of the HBO PPV event of Mayweather Jr. versus Baldomir, Arreola beat on and beat down the then undefeated Damian Wills for seven rounds until the referee stoppage. In 2007 Chris defeated former stable mate Malcolm Tann with an eighth round TKO. And Arreola continued his assault on the division by taking out Thomas Hayes in three rounds to earn him the vacant WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title.
All though highly touted as the next great thing by his promoter Goossen Tutor, it was not until June of ’08 when the public fully jumped on the Arreola bandwagon when he defeated then undefeated Chazz Witherspoon in three rounds. All though the bout ended in disqualification due to the fact that Witherspoon’s corner entered the ring, Arreola not once but twice dropped Witherspoon to the canvas.
After stopping the once beaten Carlos Garcia in three rounds, Arreola was matched up against another highly touted American heavyweight in Travis Walker, a fight where Arreola had to climb off the canvas to earn the third round TKO victory.
In Arreola’s last outing, some believed the win streak could possibly come to an end as Chris took on the former four time heavyweight title challenger Jameel McCline. But to the surprise of the masses, Arreola stopped the towering McCline in the fourth round, courtesy of an overhand right, solidifying himself as a solid contender.
After six years, twenty-seven fights (all victories) and eighty-one rounds of boxing, on September 26th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, the Mexican American heavyweight Cristobal Arreola will have his shot at becoming heavyweight champion.
But, there is a one big obstacle in is way of championship stardom by the name of Vitali Klitschko.
The WBC heavyweight title holder Vitali Klitschko 37-2 (36) is the other head of the two headed heavyweight monster known as the Klitschko brothers. Vitali is 6’7 1/2 inches of pure whip ass, and the Ukrainian has the resume to prove it.
Making his pro debut in the fall of 1996, the highly decorated amateur champion knocked out the (6-3) Illinois native Tony Bradham in three rounds.
Klitschko banged out twenty-four consecutive knock out victories over the likes of veterans Dicky Ryan and Mario Schiesser before earning his first world title in 1999 by second round knock out over the then WBO heavyweight titlist Herbie Hide.
Klitschko kept on with his winning ways with two successful title defenses, both earned by knockout, before tasting defeat for the first time in his career. All though ahead on all score cards and on his way to a victory, after the ninth round Klitschko could not continue due to a shoulder injury, which was later diagnosed as a torn rotator cuff.
All though with the major setback loss to Chris Byrd, Klitschko healed and then wheeled himself to another title shot in the summer of 2003 when he faced the then Ring Magazine, WBC and IBO heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, all though a fight which was lost, it was the throw down which catapulted Klitschko to the top of every fight fans list of major players in boxing.
Lewis who was coming off an eighth round romping over Mike Tyson, was surprised as well as many by Klitschko who could not only take Lewis’s best shot, but gave one back himself. All though out landing Lewis in total punches, a bruised and bloodied Klitschko, but still willing to wage war lost the bout when the bout was stopped by the advice of the ringside doctor Dr. Paul Wallace.
Lewis went on to retire, while Klitschko went on to defeat three more opponents and earning him another world title. After a couple of failed attempts to secure a bout with Hasim Rahman, in 2005, due to Klitschko injury, Klitschko walked away from the sport and tried his hand in politics.
After being appointed by the WBC as “Champion Emeritus”, Klitschko made his return to the sport in 2008 soundly defeating Samuel Peter for eight rounds to return to championship status. Klitschko knocked out Juan Carlos Gomez March of 2009, and after a bunch of hoopla by David Haye wanting to fight, and then not wanting to fight Klitschko, Klitschko will defend against America’s undefeated heavyweight Chris Arreola.
So, the question is, can Chris Arreola who is known as “The Nightmare” haunt Vitali Klitschko, or will “Dr. Ironfist”, pound out a victory and crush Chris Arreola’s dream of becoming world champion?
Fact, what both combatants have in common is some punishing power that they have administered throughout their respected careers. Arreola has a kayo percentage of nearly 90%, while Klitschko has just about a 93% knock out ratio. Both are tough, can be very aggressive and this makes for an exciting bout, which I personally feel it will be.
Another fact, all though undefeated in his journey to the top of the crop, Arreola has never faced the likes of a fighter such as Vitali Klitschko. Arreola has never had to go past seven rounds, and Klitschko has done it ten times, once going twelve.
Arreola has defeated some touted prospects, a couple of contenders, and one former world title challenger, while Klitschko has defeated around ten contenders, two former world title holders, and dethroned three champs in his time, now give or take a two on the calculations.
But with the stats, which can be thrown out the window come fight night, but again the stats cannot be over looked on experience, which I doubt anybody would question or argue.
Another issue in this breakdown of the fighters, Arreola has been known to be a little soft in the middle, which raises eyebrows on his conditioning, to where Klitschko has not been questioned or accused of such.
The skinny is, we all know Arreola will be coming in the underdog, or in my eyes will be, we all understand that in experience, possibly power and most certainly skill, Vitali reigns above Chris. But you cannot count out desire and hunger, and we all have witnessed one punch changing the course of heavyweight history.
So, in question, can Chris Arreola continue his win streak and become the premier American heavyweight champion, or will Vitali Klitschko box and bang his way to another win?
That is for you the reader to ponder on and come up with your own opinions, myself, no disrespect to Arreola, but all though I see this being a good solid scrap, one the heavyweight division can desperately use, I personally feel, although worthy of a title shot, I believe Arreola was rushed into one. And Chris’s victory train will come to a screeching halt come fight night. Kudos to Chris for making it this far, and all though I am not fully counting out Chris to hold a world title, I don’t see it happening this night.
But hey, stranger things have happened.
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