By Cliff Rold
A large part of the American boxing fan base can point to different Heavyweights as part of what got them hooked. Those of the ‘Greatest Generation’ might point to Joe Louis or Rocky Marciano while fans of later times point to Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. Fans cultivated in the last ten years have come to love boxing despite a paucity of watchable American Heavyweights.
Enter Chris Arreola, Los Angeles born and of Mexican-American heritage.
He makes a good interview, makes fun fights, and slings heavy hands. He also comes in, in the minds of many, just plain heavy.
An Arreola win would be good for the division in the U.S. but how much faith can be put into a guy who often rolls into the ring with rolls? There is a reason some have been excited about Arreola. In 2007, fighting below 240 lbs., he looked like a real comer. Last year, weighing 239 against Chazz Witherspoon, he looked that way again. Since, he’s been pushed to the edge by the average Travis Walker and gotten as high as almost 260 lbs.
Contrast that with Klitschko, the ultimate professional. Like his brother Wladimir, Vitali stands out in a way that casts a bad light on the rest of his class. He always shows up to win and looks like it. Showing up in top shape, with six and seven figure paydays on the line, should be expected but instead is worthy of praise. That is a sad commentary.
But we deal with the hands dealt.
Can this fight make us forget the scale?
Let’s go to the report card.
The Ledgers
Vitali Klitschko
Age: 38
Titles: WBC Heavyweight (2008-Present, 1 Defense)
Previous Titles: WBO Heavyweight (1999-2000, 2 Defenses); Ring/WBC Heavyweight (2004-05, 1 Defense)
Height: 6’7 ½
Weight: 252 lbs.
Average Weight – Last Five Fights: 248 ¼ lbs.
Hails from: Belovodskoye, Kyrgyzstan (Ukrainian descent)
Record: 27-2, 36 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Defeated: 5 (Herbie Hide, Orlin Norris, Corrie Sanders, Samuel Peter, Juan Carlos Gomez)
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced in Defeat: 2 (Chris Byrd, Lennox Lewis)
Vs.
Chris Arreola
Age: 28
Title: 1st Title Fight
Height: 6’4
Weight: 251
Average Weight – Last Five Fights: 250 lbs.
Hails from: Riverside, California
Record: 27-0, 24 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Defeated: 0
Pre-Fight Grades
Speed – Klitschko B; Arreola B
Power – Klitschko A-; Arreola B+
Defense – Klitschko B+; Arreola B-
Intangibles – Klitschko B+; Arreola B-
Speed is relative. The distinction is made because B-level Heavyweight speed is not the same as B-speed at Lightweight. This fight will air live after a replay of Mayweather-Marquez and some will want to hit fast forward on their DVRs, convinced they are watching something in slow motion. For Heavyweights though, these men aren’t slow. Klitschko’s long arms and height allow him great range and his shot often almost come from underneath with snap. Arreola has a solid jab and his left hand, in hook or uppercut, also gets to target quickly.
In terms of power, both men have phenomenal numbers. These are heavy handed men. Arreola may be the better combination puncher in orthodox terms. Klitschko’s right hand at full extension will be the best punch in the fight. The combinations will count because one shot isn’t really a threat to Klitschko. Sam Peter was all right hand and never landed it. Danny Williams came with wide hooks and spent a lot of time hitting air, shoulders, and forearming the back of Klitschko’s neck. Arreola can be dangerous because even if he misses a jab and right hand, his left uppercut is short and compact as is his left hook. There are always concerns about Klitschko’s knees and if he can land a blind shot, score a knockdown, what impact would it have on Klitschko’s legs?
He has to get those short shots in though and Klitschko is hard to catch clean. Lennox Lewis, one of the great punchers ever, did it but he had to work hard for it and Klitschko stood up. Klitschko’s left hand is low, but his right is usually well positioned to block and he fights tall as well as any Heavyweight can. Klitschko’s uses the full length of the ruler, casually alluding shots with quick leans and slips without bending into shots. Arreola coming forward can walk into bombs because of it as Klitschko is good at catching men coming in or as they attempt to reset from missed flurries.
Arreola can be caught coming forward and so far has shown more toughness in taking shots then in avoiding them. The tale of the tape could play a big role in Klitschko’s ability to exploit his defenses. Press kits put these men about 3 ½ inches apart but look at the weigh-in photos prior to the final staredown and Arreola appears at a bigger disadvantage than that.
Then of course there are the intangibles. Klitschko has, so far, had an excellent chin. He was buzzed by Lewis, and briefly early against Sanders, but he weathered on his feet. Arreola looked to be teetering on the edge against Travis Walker two fights ago, coming off the floor for the win by gutting it out and catching the vulnerable chin of Walker. Klitschko can hit hard enough to hurt him but can Arreola turn the tide? It remains to be seen.
There is also the stamina issue. Arreola has only been as far as the eighth round once, against Malcolm Tann in 2007. He weighed 235 for that fight. Like it or not, his conditioning will remain a question going into Saturday night. 251? For the biggest fight of your life? Arreola looked better at Thursday’s weigh-in than he has for any other recent fight but looking better in better shape isn’t the same as best shape and this isn’t the same as ‘not everyone is Mr. Olympia (blah blah blah)…Larry Holmes.” There is a difference between not being predisposed to being cut and loose flesh.
If Klitschko decides to play Arreola the same as Peter, to be patient and chip away, will Arreola have the gas as the fight wears on? He’ll face more hazardous incoming with Klitschko than anyone else has ever shown him and have any of the previous foes gotten him ready for this caliber opponent? It’s hard to say yes.
There is another way to look at the Arreola conditioning question. Fighters who struggle to get in tip top shape at all times can sometimes pull it together when the biggest moments arrive. Riddick Bowe went from bloated to beastly between Pierre Coetzer and the first Evander Holyfield fight. Tony Tubbs and the late Greg Page both managed to win title fights in the 1980s even with a little extra fat. It doesn’t portend much longevity at the top but it does speak to a night of possibility.
The Pick
In the end, the scale won’t beat Arreola. Klitschko will win because he’s a better fighter. In some sense, this fight might be seen afterwards as classic cash out. Arreola is the sort of fighter who could mess around and lose to an inferior fighter before a big payday. His quality of opposition has been nothing special and he’s going frying pan to fire in a hurry. However, to risk taking him through the hard experience he needs for someone like Klitschko is a dice throw. With the wrong motivation one night, he loses traction. The choice has been made to gamble here instead and, at the least, take the big check.
If this corner was betting, it would say the check gets cashed around the second or third round. If Arreola’s pride gets him a few more frames before falling it would be no surprise. It would be shocking though if Klitschko did not end the night with his hand raised.
Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com