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By Cliff Rold - Last week, boxing fans got history. This week, they get Heavyweights.
In other words, the countdown has begun to the second Super Six semi-final.
Let’s face it. Unless a Klitschko is fighting a former Cruiserweight champion, Heavyweight boxing remains hard to get excited about. It’s an odd place to be. Between July and September, with Wladimir-David Haye and Vitali-Tomasz Adamek on tap, Heavyweight will be as robust as it has been in years.
A pair of stadium shows, in short order, with contests that at least look competitive going in, will give Heavyweight boxing the look of seriousness once again.
It’s fair to say that, once the bell rings, the fights are usually serious no matter the size of the crowd. One of the great weaknesses of this much-derided era is the weakness of its contenders at the supper table. Another is that some of its most professional are all glaringly lacking in a key area.
When a fighter plagued with the weakness of appetite gets serious about controlling it, eyes perk up. When a fighter who gets by on hard work and consistently doing just what they do well, it can go unappreciated.
This Friday, boxing gets a look at both in Reno as the ‘biggest little city in the world’ hosts a pair of former title challengers, Chris Arreola and Tony Thompson, in the Heavyweight division. Both would like another opportunity before they are done. One day, given both are within shooting distance of at least an IBF eliminator, they may have to go through each other to get it.
For now, other challenges await.
For Arreola (31-2, 27 KO), whose losses have come to Vitali and Adamek, appetite has been an issue. Discipline has appeared lacking. Fight followers have wondered if Arreola could ever show the same passion he brings to fights, and post-fight interviews, through camps. Just a couple of weeks ago, there was suddenly reason to be intrigued again by the still only 30-year old California.
234.
It was the lowest Arreola had been on the scale since 2007. He walked through journeyman Nagy Aguilera and comes right back with Kendrick Releford (22-14-2, 10 KO). Wise tempering says that the foes balance against the scale, that Arreola still isn’t beating the better parts of the division.
It remains easy to point out that, while both his losses have come to legitimate top ten Heavyweights, they are also the only fighters at that level Arreola has faced. Better conditioning won’t be proven to matter until he beats someone worth talking about.
Still, the 230’s again? It’s a good start. [Click Here To Read More]
In other words, the countdown has begun to the second Super Six semi-final.
Let’s face it. Unless a Klitschko is fighting a former Cruiserweight champion, Heavyweight boxing remains hard to get excited about. It’s an odd place to be. Between July and September, with Wladimir-David Haye and Vitali-Tomasz Adamek on tap, Heavyweight will be as robust as it has been in years.
A pair of stadium shows, in short order, with contests that at least look competitive going in, will give Heavyweight boxing the look of seriousness once again.
It’s fair to say that, once the bell rings, the fights are usually serious no matter the size of the crowd. One of the great weaknesses of this much-derided era is the weakness of its contenders at the supper table. Another is that some of its most professional are all glaringly lacking in a key area.
When a fighter plagued with the weakness of appetite gets serious about controlling it, eyes perk up. When a fighter who gets by on hard work and consistently doing just what they do well, it can go unappreciated.
This Friday, boxing gets a look at both in Reno as the ‘biggest little city in the world’ hosts a pair of former title challengers, Chris Arreola and Tony Thompson, in the Heavyweight division. Both would like another opportunity before they are done. One day, given both are within shooting distance of at least an IBF eliminator, they may have to go through each other to get it.
For now, other challenges await.
For Arreola (31-2, 27 KO), whose losses have come to Vitali and Adamek, appetite has been an issue. Discipline has appeared lacking. Fight followers have wondered if Arreola could ever show the same passion he brings to fights, and post-fight interviews, through camps. Just a couple of weeks ago, there was suddenly reason to be intrigued again by the still only 30-year old California.
234.
It was the lowest Arreola had been on the scale since 2007. He walked through journeyman Nagy Aguilera and comes right back with Kendrick Releford (22-14-2, 10 KO). Wise tempering says that the foes balance against the scale, that Arreola still isn’t beating the better parts of the division.
It remains easy to point out that, while both his losses have come to legitimate top ten Heavyweights, they are also the only fighters at that level Arreola has faced. Better conditioning won’t be proven to matter until he beats someone worth talking about.
Still, the 230’s again? It’s a good start. [Click Here To Read More]
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