Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, two-time heavyweight title challenger Chris Arreola, undefeated welterweight Sammy Vasquez Jr. and Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz participated in a media workout Wednesday as they near their respective Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes matchups taking placeSaturday, July 16 from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
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“I’ve wanted to hit somebody since May”, said Wilder, who was training in Britain to face Povetkin in Russian Federation before the challenger failed a drug test and the fight was cancelled.
Deontay Wilder has vowed to take out the frustration of his postponed world title defence on Chris Arreola when the pair meet in the ring in Birmingham, Alabama at the weekend.
Nevertheless, Deontay Wilder feels confident that given Arreola’s fighting spirit combined with his own, Saturday’s bout will not disappoint. “I don’t just knock you out, I really put you out”, stated Wilder.
“Arreola definitely has a style prone to a knockout”.
In his prime he was an all-action, come-forward fighter who loved a brawl but fell short in his two previous world title challenges with losses to Stiverne and Vitali Klitschko. That plays to my style.
“Sometimes chances come around more than twice, and this is his third time”.
The boxing world lost one of its good guys this week when Gabe Lira, a former fighter and trainer from Whittier, died Wednesday following a 10-month battle with a fungal brain infection. “And he moves a whole lot better around the ring”. “I don’t believe in luck, but he’s been blessed with a third opportunity”, Wilder said.
“When you’re in the hurt business, you have no choice but to stay focused on the test that lies at hand because if you’re not focused, you can get knocked out”, he said. “It’s that time for me”. Arreola is going to come out swinging, trying to be the man to truly test that Wilder chin. He’s not going to make anyone think they’re watching Floyd Mayweather, but he’s no longer the pure headhunter he once was.
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“Does he deserve the title shot, no he doesn’t”, Wilder said of Arreola, 36-4 with one draw and 31 knockouts. “I have to come behind a smart jab, not get caught with that unsafe right hand that he has, and turn it into a dog fight, plan and simple”. Wilder, who has already taken hold of the heavyweight title once before, will be facing an eager Arreola. He’ll make this exciting at times, and then he’ll likely be stopped in a big way – hopefully pushing Wilder closer to a huge unification fight with either Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua.
