By James Slater: 30-year-old heavyweight contender Chris Arreola is sticking to his word of remaining in shape and frequenting the ring as often as he can. And last night, on the Williams-Lara card, “The Nightmare,” weighing 236-pounds, pounded out a good, near-shutout over the durable Friday Ahunanya. Winning nearly all of the ten rounds, Arreola got himself a good workout. However, the Mexican/American was not at all happy with his performance – even calling it one of his worst ever.
But despite the criticism (his own being the most harsh!), Arreola again proved how serious he is about his career. Now having fought four time this year, Arreola said he wants to get back in there in six or seven weeks. Then grand plan of course, is a second shot at a world title, and Wladimir Klitschko’s name was brought up after last night’s solid win.
“Of course I would like a shot at Wladimir,” Arreola said. “But today was one of my crappiest performances of the year. I almost looked as bad as Haye.”
Arreola was referring to Haye’s recent loss to Wladimir, and he even joked how his own toes were f****d up! But in all seriousness, Arreola’s name is well and truly in the mix when it comes to the next challenger for “Dr. Steel Hammer.” Such a fight would sell in the U.S, seeing as how Arreola is largely looked at as the best American heavyweight out there. And though Arreola lost badly to big brother and WBC king Vitali a couple of years ago, he did manage to make Vitali work hard. In light of how poorly Vitali’s subsequent challengers faired, Arreola didn’t do all that badly. And against the less aggressive Wladimir, who knows – maybe Arreola would have a shot?
Faster on his feet at the lower weight (Arreola has always had fast hands), Arreola would, as we know by his nature, look to take the fight right to Wladimir, and maybe he would have some success with his combinations. No doubt, as with all other contenders out there, Arreola would enter a fight with the Ring Magazine, IBF, WBA, WBO, IBO king as a heavy underdog, but who else is there for Klitschko to fight right now?
Arreola would certainly let it all out in the ring; something the trash-talking Haye never came close to doing. In an ideal world, Arreola and Haye should fight, in, say, two or three months time, and then the winner would challenge Wlad. I’m sure “The Nightmare” would jump at such an opportunity. But would Haye?