By Eric Thomas: The fight between WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (37-2, 36 KO’s) and Chris Arreola (27-0, 24 KO’s) is now only a matter of hours away and the excitement is quickly building for what is probably the most exciting bout in quite some time in the heavyweight division.

Arreola, 28, is the new kid on the block in the division, a fighter with extraordinary punching power and a nonstop punching style that is fan and television friendly. Klitschko, the better half of the two Klitschko brothers, has looked superb since recapturing the World Boxing Council heavyweight title last year with an 8th round stoppage win over Samuel Peter in October.

What made this victory even more impressive was that Klitschko had been away from boxing for four long years while in retirement. Vitali came back and without missing a beat, pounded Peter, the WBC champion at the time, into submission. Klitschko looked equally impressive in his last fight, a 9th round stoppage victory over Juan Carlos Gomez in March.

Arreola has looked really good in his last two bouts, beating Travis Walker and Jameel McCline by knockout. Arreola doesn’t have the lean body that Klitschko has, but his power is what makes Arreola tic. He punches incredibly hard and is hard to match up against because he doesn’t stop throwing power shots. Arreola’s overhand rights are lethal, as is his left hooks to the head.

This fight might end up coming down to conditioning. Arreola has made no secret of his plan to go right at Klitschko and try to wear him down and take him out with big shots. Klitschko hasn’t had a really hard pressure fighter attack him during his career like the way that Arreola will be tonight. Perhaps the closest thing that Klitschko has faced as far as being up against a pressure fighter was his bout against Ross Puritty in December 2001.

Klitschko skillfully moved away from Puritty and dodged his powerful right hands and left hooks, pounding him with short right hands and left hooks until the referee stepped in and halted the fight in the 11th round. However, Puritty, a fighter with a low work rate, didn’t throw nearly as many punches in that fight compared to what Arreola will likely be aiming at Klitschko tonight.

Vitali will have to deal with more punches, big power and his own aging body tonight. If Klitschko can beat back Arreola’s attacks with short right hands, like he did against Purity eight years ago, then I suspect this fight will be won by Klitschko without too many problems. Klitschko is going to have to keep throwing punches and not let up on Arreola or else he may find himself in a real dog fight that he can’t win.

Arreola has the youth, the better punch output and perhaps equal power and will have the Staples Center crowd on his side in this fight. Klitschko will have the experience and size advantage going for him. He’s going to have to make sure he uses his reach because the last thing that Klitschko wants to do is trade shots with a big puncher like Arreola for 12 rounds.