Chris Arreola is staying busy.
Less than two weeks ago he stopped Nagy Aguilera and he was back in the ring again this weekend against Kendrick Releford.
With a record of 22 wins, 14 losses and two draws, Releford had not fought any big names. It seemed this bout was just a means of keeping the newly-slim Arreola active.
Arreola: has shed the pounds and is better for it, says Wayne
Arreola weighed 234lbs in his last fight, which was his lightest weight since July 2007. Staying busy should help keep his weight in the 230lbs range.
Arreola was a little quicker against Aguilera and threw a lot of punches before getting the stoppage win. But he got hit often, his hands were low and his footwork was slow.
Now that he has his weight down, he needs to improve his skills and not depend on his big punch. That way, he will have a better chance when he steps back up to world title challenges.
Now that Arreola has his weight down, he needs to improve his skills and not depend on his big punch. That way, he will have a better chance when he steps back up to world title challenges.
Wayne McCullough
Quotes of the week
Releford started off using a good left jab while on his back foot and Arreola was coming forward trying to pin his opponent on the ropes where he was doing his best work.
He was switching punches from the head, then landing hard left hooks to the body and showing that, at the lighter weight, he is much faster.
At will
Releford was starting most rounds well with his left jab but, about a minute into each round, he faded. Arreola was able to land right uppercuts and left hooks at will on his opponent's head.
At the end of the fifth, a straight right followed by a left hook hurt Releford for the first time in the fight, but he stayed in there.
In the sixth, a four-punch combination to the head of Releford sent him down to his knees. He got up and Arreola landed heavy shots over and over with the referee close by but he was saved by the bell.
It looked like Releford's corner may have stopped the fight between rounds but he came out for the seventh. He took everything Arreola hit him with but, after taking a few more hard clean head shots, the referee stepped in and stopped it near the end of the round.
Chris Arreola is lighter, faster and has better head movement now. He is staying busy but his defence and jabs could be better, considering there was nothing coming back at him.
These last two fights have been learning fights for Arreola. Maybe a few more like this will make him a complete boxer.
Post to your View!
Be the first to post a comment on this story
Recent Comments:
Michael Williams on Arlington anticlimax
""Manny Pacquiao was honoured as the fighter of the decade by the Boxing Writer's Association of America today, along with matching Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield by winning his ... " View all comments