by Scott Wesley Clifford – Vitali Klitschko shows ‘no mercy’ in executing a systematic destruction of 28-year-old Mexican-American title contender Cristobal Arreola in front of a silenced crowd at the Staples Center.
Fresh off an unsuccessful run for the mayor of Kiev and for the Ukrainian parliament, the 38 year-old Vitali Klitschko utilised lateral movement, a piston-like jab, and the odd right hand to see off WBC Heavyweight champion Samuel Peter last October.. There was a case of De Ja Vu this Saturday evening as Vitali silenced a Mexican-American crowd with a replica of the same game plan – dominating the 28 year old title hopeful from the opening bell before the intervention of Arreola’s corner men. The bout was mercifully stopped before the start of the 11th round.
Arreola spent practically the entire fight moving forward in an attempt to get inside on the 6ft 7 Vitali, but was brutalised by right hands from an assortment of angles. Henry Ramirez seemed to offer little advice between rounds – “just keep doing what you’re doing”. Arreola took the advice a little too literally as he carried on taking stiff left jabs and straight right hands to the face and midsection. There was no plan B.
By the later rounds, Arreola’s face was a distorted mess. Blood was bleeding profusely from his nose, and the areas beneath both eyes were beginning to swell, but still Arreola never stopped trying to get inside on his opponent and land a sweeping right hand. The fight was eventually stopped at the end of the 10th round by Arreola’s corner to avoid further unnecessary punishment. Arreola was irate.
Ringside punch stats showed that Vitali Klitschko threw 802 punches, a staggering number for a big man, and landed 301 of them. Arreola landed only 86 punches during the entire contest.
Arreola was given only a puncher’s chance at becoming the first Heavyweight titlist of Mexican heritage in the history of the sport before tonight. Vitali Klitschko warranted his 5-1 favourite odds by nullifying any chance his opponent had at a historical victory by staying out of range, and simply not getting hit. Floyd Mayweather Jr, after just dispatching of Juan Manuel Marquez in typically proficient fashion, would be proud of the giant Ukrainian with his ‘hit and not get hit’ mentality.