By Dan Ambrose: Well so much for heavyweight contender Chris Arreola (34-2, 29 KO’s) facing a really good well known opponent for his next fight on February 18th at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Arreola, 30, is reportedly facing #10 World Boxing Council ranked heavyweight Eric Molina (18-1, 14 KO’s) in a scheduled 10 round bout. Although the fight hasn’t been officially announced, this is the guy that Arreola is reportedly going to be fighting next according to a number of sources.

The thing of it is Arreola was supposed to be fighting a well-known top contender. Molina might fit the bill as a contender given his #10 ranking by the WBC, but he’s hardly well-known and has never beaten anyone in the top tier to warrant a #10 ranking or a fight with Arreola.

Molina, 6’5” 229lbs, has good size for a heavyweight but he hasn’t always been blowing away the 2nd and 3rd tier opposition he’s been facing, which suggests that he’s not a big puncher. This is obviously just another easy fodder opponent for Arreola to beat and keep in the running for another title shot against one of the Klitschkos.

Arreola, #1 WBC, #3 WBO, #4 IBF, has beaten six consecutive 2nd tier heavyweights since losing to Tomasz Adamek in April 2010. Arreola has shed 20 pounds of flab but is just as slow as he was before he lost the lard. His power isn’t as good as it was before he shed the flab and it seems like the weight loss has had a neutral effect on his game.

Arreola is throwing more punches now but he’s not as powerful, so it’s kind of empty gesture. It’s unclear why Arreola has been reluctant to face quality heavyweights anymore. Who knows? Perhaps his losses to Adamek and Vitali Klitschko hurt him to the extent where he’s gun shy about fighting anyone good enough to beat him again.

Molina won’t beat Arreola, that’s for sure. But Arreola won’t be any more prepared when it comes time for him to fight Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko. He’ll lose just as bad as he did last time, but perhaps even worse because back then he was fighting quality heavyweights and still improving. Now Arreola is just padding his record against fodder heavyweights.