Deontay Wilder Vs. Chris Arreola: Everything You Need To Know
Deontay Wilder vs. Chris Arreola wasn’t the original plan, but tonight’s WBC Heavyweight Championship bout could nonetheless provide boxing fans with some entertainment and intrigue.
Wilder enters the ring with an undefeated record of 36-0, with 35 of those victories coming by way of knockout. This will be Wilder’s fourth defense of his WBC crown, and he will be fighting in front of his home-state fans at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. Deontay Wilder is considered by many to be the No. 1 heavyweight in the world today, as detailed by the Inquisitr.
Chris Arreola is 36-4 and has also shown his punching power by tallying 31 knockouts. At 35-years-old, Arreola has been a long-time heavyweight contender, having unsuccessfully challenged for the title on two previous occasions.
According to ESPN, the Wilder-Arreola contest came about as a backup plan after Wilder’s original opponent, Alexander Povetkin, tested positive for a banned substance (meldonium) days before their scheduled May 21 clash. The Wilder-Povetkin bout was a much-anticipated match-up of two of the top heavyweights in the world. Oddsmakers saw this one as a toss-up, and Wilder was even willing to fight Povetkin in the challenger’s native land of Russia.
“I’ve wanted to hit somebody since May,” Wilder stated at Thursday’s final pre-fight press conference. “I got teased but now it’s time. And I get to do it at home. There’s no better place to do it.”
Deontay Wilder, bitterly disappointed by the Povetkin situation, needed to find another opponent to step in on fairly short notice and he found a willing challenger in Chris Arreola. Arreola was not in line for a shot at the heavyweight title, but as an established contender, he was the best option available if Wilder wanted to replace Povetkin, earn a payday, and put on a show for heavyweight boxing fans.
While praising Arreola’s desire, Wilder was generally dismissive of his upcoming opponent.
“We had a few guys that we could have chosen, but there were certain guys we didn’t want to give a short-notice opportunity,” Wilder said. “We needed a certain type of fighter for this job. We need someone who will fight with their heart and take this opportunity and make the most of it. Does he deserve the title shot? No he doesn’t. He knows it. But is Chris Arreola the perfect guy for this fight? Of course he is.”
Chris Arreola is a big underdog in this match-up with Deontay Wilder, but there are a few reasons that this bout could be competitive and perhaps even end in an upset win for Arreola.
Just in case Wilder overlooks Arreola and a Buster Douglas-esque upset happens 2night #boxing #WilderArreola ?????? pic.twitter.com/tYM2WizdiB
— Mick Akers (@mickakers) July 16, 2016
Wilder was “a bit depressed” after the Povetkin fight was called off, as reported by Fox Sports. Due to the loss of income as a result of Povetkin’s positive drug test, Wilder’s camp filed a lawsuit against Povetkin, and the continued legal wrangling could be a distraction for the 30-year-old champion. This is not the marquee match-up that Deontay Wilder was gearing up for, and there is a very real possibility that Wilder could take Arreola too lightly.
Chris Arreola is in a good position as he has nothing to lose against the heavily-favored Wilder. Arreola is known as an aggressive, hard-hitting boxer, but he has also been guilty of coming into the ring out of shape. Arreola claims that he has a new attitude, partly because of inspiration provided by his young daughter, per CBS Sports. Arreola knows that this is probably his last shot at the heavyweight title, and he claims that we’ll see him at his best when he challenges Deontay Wilder in front of a national television audience on Saturday night.
Deontay Wilder vs. Chris Arreola may just be a tune-up fight for the champ, or it could be the challenger’s last chance to put it all together and pull off a shocking upset. What do you think will happen when these two step into the ring?
[Photo by Frank Franklin II/AP Images]
