Chris Arreola not concerned about Deontay Wilder’s hometown advantage

Chris Arreola

Chris Arreola/Photo courtesy of Premier Boxing Champions

 

When Chris Arreola challenges Deontay Wilder for his heavyweight world title Saturday from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., he’ll be doing so in front of Wilder’s fans as Wilder is from Tuscaloosa, Ala.

That would seem to make Arreola even more of an underdog than he already is, but he claims he’s not worried about that part of his task.

“I expect him to have a lot of fans and he’s very deserving of that,” Arreola said of Wilder. “He’s made things happen in this state and this state is lucky to have a fighter like him. But no one can get in there with him. The fans can’t fight for him. I love the fans, but they’re just there to watch. It’s just me and Wilder in there Saturday.”

Arreola (36-4-1, 31 KOs), of Riverside, will be trying for the third time to become the first fighter of Mexican descent to win a major heavyweight title. He was stopped inside the distance by Vitali Klitschko in 2009 and by Bermane Stiverne in 2014.

Wilder is 36-0 with 35 knockouts and will be looking to make his fourth successful defense.

Arreola-Wilder will be televised live on Fox.

 

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