Chris Arreola’s heart not nearly enough in eighth-round TKO loss to Wilder

Deontay Wilder

Deontay Wilder, left, throws a jab at Chris Arreola during their heavyweight title fight Saturday in Birmingham, Ala./AP photo by Brynn Anderson

 

Chris Arreola of Riverside on Saturday showed the courage he typically does in a fight, but it wasn’t nearly enough in his challenge to heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.

Wilder decked Arreola in the fourth and otherwise battered Arreola for eight lopsided rounds, Arreola’s trainer Henry Ramirez asking referee Jack Reiss to stop the fight before the ninth at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala.

Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) gets credit for an eighth-round TKO and has now made four successful title defenses. Wilder apparently broke his right hand in that fourth round and also tore his right biceps.

Arreola (36-5-1) for the third time failed to become the first boxer of Mexican descent to win a major title in the heavyweight division. He was also stopped inside the distance by Vitali Klitschko in 2009 and by Bermane Stiverne in 2014.

Shortly after the bout had ended, Ramirez responded to a text message to say that Arreola was “in good spirits” and that he was getting “stiched up.” Arreola was cut and his left eye was nearly shut.

Wilder says he now wants the other champions.

“My goal is to unify the division, so whoever got those belts, that’s who I want,” he said. “Yes, I want the (Tyson) Furys. Yes, I want the Anthony Joshuas. The question is, do they want me?”

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Venue for Chris Arreola-Bermane Stiverne to be announced on FNF; could be Galen Center

Henry Ramirez, trainer for heavyweight contender Chris Arreola of Riverside, tweeted Friday that he will be interviewed on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights from Morongo Casino in Cabazon and that an announcement will be made regarding the venue for the May 10 heavyweight title fight between Arreola and Bermane Stiverne.

We’re not sure how true this is, but we heard a rumor from a source that says the site will be USC’s Galen Center. One thing’s certain, the fight will be televised by ESPN.

Arreola and Stiverne will fight for the belt vacated by Vitali Klitschko.

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Robert Garcia and Henry Ramirez may be friends, but that won’t matter June 8

When Josesito Lopez of Riverside and Marcos Maidana of Argentina square off in the welterweight main event June 8 at Home Depot Center (on Showtime), it will also be a clash between their respective trainers – Henry Ramirez and Robert Garcia.

The two are friends, but these guys are pros and they’d never let that stand in the way of a fight that has the potential to be terrific.

“This fight, Josesito and Maidana, is a Fight of the Year candidate,” said Ramirez, who trains Lopez, and also is the trainer for heavyweight Chris Arreola. “Robert Garcia and I are good friends. But this is a sport and I know he has been preparing Maidana like I’ve been preparing Josesito.”

Of, Garcia has been.

We’re training hard for this fight and we know what type of fight we have in front of us,” Garcia said. We cannot take this fight lightly. We’ve gotten some great sparring in for this fight and I know Josesito and his coach have done the same. We’re actually pretty good friends with Henry (Ramirez).”

Lopez is 30-5 with 18 knockouts. Maidana is 33-3 with 30 knockouts.

 

 

 

 

 

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