Chris Arreola blames no broken toes on lackluster outing in Atlantic City
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 11 Jul 2011
Atlantic City, N.J. - Heavyweight Chris Arreola won last Saturday's fight against journeyman Friday Ahunanya but his face and demeanor showed that of a fighter dissatisfied with his performance. And rightfully so. In a fight where he is expected to dominate and come up with a knockout victory, Arreola's performance was somewhat anemic. Not only was he unable to sent the tough Nigerian to the canvass but was at times caught with shots that Ahunanya dished out. Arreola acknowledged his below par performance after the fight as he talked to the press moments after his UD win. "I couldn't pull the trigger." was his initial comment of his performance. "I should have knocked him out too" he replied after a member of the press pointed out that Ahunanya just got knocked once in his career. "It should have been two times with me. No offense with him, he has a solid chin. He has good combinations, but it should have not lasted this long." Arreola even compared his performance to that of David Haye's lackluster outing against Vladimir Klitschko last week in Germany. "I am very embarrassed of myself. I look like (expletive)! I almost look as bad as Haye did." A comment that drew laughter and disapproval from the press row knowing that this was a better performance than that of Haye's.
Arreola was humble in a fight that he won knowing that much is expected of him. He knocked out his last three opponents prior to tonight's fight here at the Boardwalk Hall Arena. But Ahunanya who came here with after losing two straight refused to be a willing KO victim on Arreola's resume. He withstood Arreola's body attack and head shots and even manage to catch Arreola with combinations of his own in the 4th round. The strong chinned Ahunanya who now resides in Las Vegas was in trouble in the ending moments of the 7th after Arreola hit him in the head with combinations which drew cheers from the crowd here in New Jersey. He got cornered and hurt in the succeeding round with another body and head combinations from Arreola prompting the ringside physician to take a look at him after the round ended. Arreola won with scores of 100 -90 and two cards of 99-91 from the judges at ringside.
Arreola's admission of his bland performance was a breath of fresh air after listening to David Haye's excuses following last week's highly publicized heavyweight match between Haye and Vladimir Klitschko. In it, Haye blamed the loss on a broken toe in his right foot that he even showed after the fight in full view of the world. "I am very, very, very disappointed. And it is my fault. And it's not Friday (Ahunanya), because Friday (Ahunanya) came to fight. Vladimir, he could blame David Haye because David injured his toe. You should see my toe. My toes are all f_ _ _ _d (expletive) up." Arreola's name is being mentioned as a possible opponent for Vladimir Klitschko who now holds five belts of the heavyweight division. One that Arreola admits he would want to pursue despite losing on his first try against the other Klitschko champ in Vitali. That loss was Arreola's first lost of his career in a fight held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA in 2009. He is 7 - 1 after that. His other loss was a MD loss to Thomasz Adamek in 2010 who will face Vitali Klitschko in Poland in the fall. " I asked him if he is willing to undergo an elimination fight between him and Haye with the winner getting a chance at the belt of which he replied. " Well, David Haye is already eliminated. He is already out of the race. Haye shouldn't even be talking right now. Haye should be home resting and thinking about his life." A comment that brought smiles to the reporters that are gathered around him.
The heavyweight decision is in a lull right now. A deep lull. The dominance of the Klitschko brothers failed to excite even the most hardcore boxing fans. Challengers like Haye and Arreola who are perceived to be a threat to them in the ring are the only ones that revives them. The debacle that is Vladimir Klitschko versus David Haye last week in Germany just put the heavyweight division in a coma. Haye's performance was nothing short of a failure both against Vladimir Klitschko and especially to the fans he who bought the hype that he brought to himself and the fight. His sales talk leading to the fight failed to live up to its expectations. His excuse afterwards is even more revolting. Chris Arreola lost his first try of winning the title against Vitali in 2009 but because of his style and winning record of late and also because of the fact that there are no other viable opponents out there for Vladimir, Arreola could very well be facing him soon. But he must put up a different performance than the one he showed last Saturday in his next couple of fights to stir up excitement for that big fight. Anything comparable or lesser to it is just not worth it and he knows it himself. He can not be another version of David Haye.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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