The exciting, fan-friendly rumble heavyweights Chris Arreola and Travis Kauffman put on just before Christmas, won by Arreola in a close split decision, has been changed to a no-decision, ESPN.com reports. Arreola, who was knocked down in the battle, tested positive for marijuana in the post-fight drugs test and the result was changed on January 5th – Dan Rafael of ESPN.com says he himself only found out yesterday.
Chris Arreola
Figueroa, Arreola, Barrios & Ortiz score wins
Undefeated Omar “Panterita” Figueroa (26-0-1, 18 KOs) won an intense slugfest over former world champion Antonio DeMarco (31-6-1, 23 KOs) in primetime Saturday night on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC from the AT&T Center in San Antonio.
Notes & Quotes From “Premier Boxing Champions” On NBC
“I always appreciate guys that are in good shape, but this pace is unbelievable.”– “Sugar” Ray Leonard on Figueroa, Jr.-DeMarco
Peter Fury: ‘We Don’t Do Bottle Jobs’ / Wilder v Arreola Still Likely
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder is taking an absolute shellacking from all sides with the rumours over his potential September opponent, with the surprise announcement that 20 year old Hughie Fury (cousin of Tyson) had potentially been selected for his in ring return, that is mooted to be on September 26th – around 6 1/2 weeks away.
Hughie’s father and trainer Peter, announced that contact between camps had been made, with Wilder’s representatives approaching them for a fight in “4 weeks time”, later confirming that given a full 8 week camp they would then take the opportunity.
Chris Arreola: ‘I Got One More Run At The Title’
He boxes tonight in a 10 rounder in El Paso on the PBC on CBS card against relative unknown Fred Kassi, yet 2x world title challenger Chris Arreola is insistent that he still has more to give, and at 34 years of age feels he has one last championship run left – a run he hopes will culminate in a shot at WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
Speaking via fighthype.com from his California training base, Arreola said;
“I got one more run at the title, that’s it. That’s what I told myself. 3rd times a charm and if I don’t get it the 3rd time, I’m gonna quit, I’m gonna retire, man.”
Chris Arreola Promising Excitement On Saturday
This Saturday sees the return of “The Nightmare” Chris Arreola, fighting in a 10 round contest against relative unknown Fred Kassi in El Paso, Texas on the undercard of Carl Frampton’s IBF 122 lb title defence against Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Jr.
The now 34 year old Mexican-American heavyweight is at something of a dead-end in terms of his career, following the peak five or six years ago, that saw him fail in a challenge to then-WBC champion Vitali Klitschko in September 2009.
His most recent world title challenge 14 months ago, a rematch with ex-champ Bermane Stiverne, also ended in failure, with Arreola now seemingly reduced to gate-keeper status in boxing’s marquee division.
Chavez Jr. Looks To Get Back On Track Against Marcos Reyes Next Saturday
Former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., super bantamweight contender Alejandro “Cobrita” Gonzalez Jr. and heavyweight contender Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola participated in a media workout on Wednesday at Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, Calif., prior to their upcoming fights on Premier Boxing Champions on CBS and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®. The fights will take place as part of an afternoon-night doubleheader on Saturday, July 18, at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas, live on CBS Sports (4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT) and SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).
Stiverne-Arreola II – post fight presser and analysis
Bermane Stiverne stopped Chris Arreola at 2:02 of the sixth round Saturday night to become the first heavyweight titlist of Haitian heritage. ESPN picked up the anticipated rematch and aired it live on the main network rather than ESPN2, which is the home of their popular “Friday Night Fights” series. Here’s a look back at a great event.
The Atmosphere:
It was a unique setting for a heavyweight world title bout, with the card taking place on the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles. By contrast, the first Stiverne-Arreola match last April was held in front of a larger audience at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.
Bermane Stiverne proves he’s for real, and now everybody wants to fight him!
If Haitian-born heavyweight puncher Bermane Stiverne didn’t prove he was for real in his last fight, when he out-pointed Chris Arreola over 12-rounds, he sure proved it last night in stopping Arreola in the 6th-round. Stiverne, a powerful counter-puncher, was losing the fight last night, yet he sensationally made the score-cards null and void courtesy of his right hand.
Almost instantly, the talk turned to who the brand new WBC king will fight next (or who his promoter Don King – who, with last night’s big win, made a comeback to the top of the heavyweight division – will allow Stiverne to fight next). King spoke of Stiverne’s right to box a voluntary defence, making it a real possibility that Stiverne will not face WBC mandatory and unbeaten KO artist Deontay Wilder next. King also spoke of taking Stiverne on a “world tour.”
Stiverne stops Arreola in classic heavyweight battle
(Photo credit: Tiffany Lam) Tonight millions of boxing fans tuned into a heavyweight title fight live on primetime ESPN. A raucous crowd got their money’s worth at the Galen Center on the University of Southern California campus, just a couple miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Haiti native Bermane “B WARE” Stiverne, who now trains out of Las Vegas, squared off against Mexican-American Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola in a rematch for the vacant WBC title. Stiverne won their first bout last April via decision, but not before shattering Arreola’s nose at the end of the third round. As intense and bloody as the first contest was, fans eagerly anticipated the rematch.
The USC marching band played the national anthem in the ring, and then Chris Arreola made his ring walk, inciting a wild eruption from the partisan LA crowd. Next to the ring was Bermane Stiverne, who was serious as always as he shrugged off boos from Arreola supporters. Michael Buffer introduced the fighters and got the crowd pumped. The atmosphere was electric in anticipation for the opening bell.