By Brad Slotnick: Chris ‘The Nightmare’ Arreola is hoping to use a victory over former three-belt heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr this Saturday as a launchpad for a world title shot against the winner of the Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury fight.
A rejuvenated Arreola will be in position for a comeback of the year award if he defeats Ruiz.
If Arreola can get another world title shot, it would be his third of his career and by far the best-paying. Taking on Joshua or Fury would likely earn Arreola a payday of $5 million.
His current net worth is $3 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. By getting that title shot, Arreola would almost be doubling his net worth.
It would be a miracle for him to get a title shot after being given up on by many fans and seen as being over-the-hill following his losses to Deontay Wilder and Adam Kownacki.
Arreola, 40, disagrees with those fans who view him as a tune-up fight for Ruiz (33-2, 22 KOs) because he’s got more than enough in the tank to defeat ‘The Destroyer’ on Saturday night at the Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California.
Chris Arreola needs a big winÂ
It’s been 12 years since Arreola 38-6-1, 33 KOs) first challenged for a world title against WBC champion Vitali Klitschko for his title in 2009, and it didn’t go well for him. But the loss led to a series of well-paying fights for Arreola, and he’s done well for himself, making a fine living.
In 2016, Arreola fought former WBC champion Deontay Wilder, but he was stopped in the eighth round by the hard-hitting Alabama native.
“I know he’s going to come for my head,” said Arreola to DAZN about Ruiz. “I know he’s going to try to make a statement with me as every fighter does.”
It would be a massive disappointment for Ruiz, his promoters, and his fans if he were to lose to Arreola on Saturday. All that hard work that Ruiz, 31, has been putting in with his new trainer Eddy Reynoso to lose close to 70 lbs for his comeback.
Getting beaten by Arreola will bring Ruiz back to square one, making it necessary for him to rebuild, and he might not be able to come back from a loss like this.
Ruiz isn’t just trying to stay ranked in the top 15. His dream is a lucrative trilogy fight with Anthony Joshua or a title shot against Tyson Fury. Andy’s bank account has gone from almost nothing to over $10 million, thanks to his two fights with Joshua in 2019.
Ruiz would like nothing better than to get a third fight with AJ or a match with Fury if possible.
The Nightmare looking to spoil the party
Arreola is hungry, knowing that if he wants to make the kind of money that Ruiz did in 2019, he’s going to have to find a way to beat him.
“And I feel like every fighter tries to make a statement with me. That being said, he’s coming in the best shape of his career, and I’m coming in great shape. It just calls for a great fight.
“If he’s not taking me seriously, I don’t know what taking serious,” said Arreola of Ruiz. “This is one of those make me or break me kind of fights. What I want is another big fight.”
Ruiz is obviously taking Arreola VERY seriously. If you have any doubts about that, take a look at Ruiz’s before and after picture with how he looked before he started training for the fight.
He looked terrible before he began training for the Arreola fight, and now he looks 100% better than he was. Granted, Ruiz can probably stand to lose another 20 to 30lbs of fat, but I don’t think he would be better for having lost the weight.