Arreola: “Doesn’t matter if I have to go through David Gaye, I want that title”

By Boxing News - 02/21/2010 - Comments

Image: Arreola: “Doesn’t matter if I have to go through David Gaye, I want that title”By Jim Dower: Heavyweight contender Chris Arreola (26-1, 25 KO’s) is focused and dialed into working on picking up a heavyweight title in the near future. Arreola, 28, has a fight coming up on April 24th, against former cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek (40-1, 27 KO’s) at the Citizens Business Bank Arena, in Ontario, California. In an article at Poundforpound boxing, Arreola says “Doesn’t matter which brother [Klitschko] go through or if I have to go through David Gaye, I want that title.”

Arreola first must beat the 33-year-old Adamek if he wants to get a shot against heavyweight champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko or David Haye. Most likely even if Arreola beats Adamek, he won’t be considered an option for the 38-year-old Vitali Klitschko. He already stopped Arreola in the 10th round last year in October in a one-sided bout.

Vitali plans on trying to get a fight against WBA heavyweight champion Haye this year and then retiring from boxing. However, Arreola can still put himself in position for a fight against Haye or Wladimir Klitschko. However, Arreola is going to have to find a way to deal with Adamek’s better hand speed and movement otherwise he’ll end up losing his chance for a title shot.

Adamek has an advantage in that he’s moved up from the light heavyweight to the cruiserweight and finally recently to the heavyweight division. Because he’s moved up from the lighter weights, Adamek has slightly better hand speed than the average heavyweight and has better movement. Let’s be clear, though, Adamek doesn’t have great hand speed.

Heavyweights like Wladimir Klitschko, Haye, Kevin Johnson and Odlanier Solis are a lot faster than Adamek in terms of hand speed. But Arreola doesn’t have the hand speed like those guys and nor does he have the same ability to get around the ring. This is why Arreola has said recently that he plans on trimming down for this fight and coming in at between 240 and 245.

Arreola has weighed no less than 251 in his last five fights dating back to September 2008. Arreola plans on changing this for his bout against Adamek, saying that he’s going to have to be fast to chase Adamek around the ring all night long. Arreola isn’t joking. Adamek, at one time a slugger in both the light heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions, looked more like a runner in his last fight against Jason Estrada than a slugger.

Adamek moved around the ring in huge circles nonstop all night long against the light hitting Estrada, and still ended up taking some monstrous shots from him. You can be certain that if Adamek runs from a light hitter like Estrada, he’s going to really be on his bike against a much bigger puncher like Arreola. However, Adamek will have to stop at some point to land enough punches to win a decision. He can’t peck and run all night long and expect to win the fight.



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