By James Slater: “There is a lot on the line,” Chris Arreola’s trainer Henry Ramirez told the gathered media recently whilst speaking about his fighter’s bout with once-beaten Eric Molina. There is indeed, seeing how “The Nightmare” may be, as Ramirez put it, “one fight away from a fight with [Wladimir] Klitschko.”
Arreola, 34-2(29) must take care of Molina on Saturday night in Corpus Christie, preferably in impressive KO fashion. The same can be said of Paul “The Punisher” Williams, who faces Japanese danger man Nobuhiro Ishida on the same card (that will also feature a restless Tavoris Cloud in action, defending his IBF 175-pound strap against Gabriel Campillo). In fact, there is way more on the line for Williams than there is for Arreola. Not only is the former champ at 147 and 154 facing a far more risky opponent than Arreola is (at least on paper), but Williams’ entire career could well be over if he loses to Ishida.
Only one win removed from that brutal 2nd-round KO loss at the hands of Sergio Martinez (this win being of a highly controversial nature, with practically everyone feeling Erislandy Lara deserved the decision back in July), Williams, 40-2(27) simply HAS TO WIN on Saturday. Not only that, but if he’s to convince anyone he is still a top tier fighter he cannot afford to have any real problems against the man who famously wrecked James Kirkland inside a round. If Williams has to drag himself off the canvas to win, or if he has to battle through long periods of hostility in which his chin is severely tested, the days of “The Punisher” being labelled the world’s most avoided fighter will seem even further back than they seem today.
How much has Williams got left? Can his chin stand up to what it once could? Have the number of tough fights the lanky light-middleweight has engaged in caught up with him? We’ll find out on Saturday. And, as much as Williams is a great, fight-everyone type of guy who will have many fans rooting for him to win, I have feeling Ishida will crack that chin at some point. If I’m right, we could well see the final fight in the exciting Williams’ career this weekend.
Prediction: Ishida by KO inside 8-rounds.
As for Arreola, I don’t think he’ll have too many problems with Molina, a guy who has won all his fights since being KO’d in his pro debut. Boxing is all about levels, and Molina is simply not on Arreola’s level. Even the assistance former champ Oliver McCall will not be enough to help Molina pull off the upset.
Prediction: Arreola by savage KO inside three-rounds.