While boxing heavyweight Chris Arreola (36-4-1, 31KOs) doesn’t dispute that he is the perceived long shot when it comes to his Premier Boxing Champions battle with undefeated WBC World Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35KOs) on July 16, 2016 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT Live on FOX from Legacy Arena in Wilder’s hometown of Birmingham, Albama, he believes that perception isn’t everything.
No, he might not deserve what will now be his third world title shot, but he’ll take it just the same. “The first time I was too young,” reminisced Arreola on his past forays into world title territory. “The second time I got caught with a shot, but this time I’ll be ready for anything, ” stated Arreola, adding: “I want to leave a legacy behind. When they talk about Chris Arreola, they’re going to say ‘he did it.’ I took the long road, but here we are now.”
Indeed, it has been a lengthy road for Arreola with much of it made more difficult due to his own hubris. While Arreola has been known in his career for having a devil may/care no quit attitude in the ring, his training and preparation haven’t always fallen suit. By his own admission, in the past some of Arreola’s fight camps have been spotty if not downright lackadaisical given Arreola’s talent. But Arreola chalks much of this activity a to youth that he no longer wants or entertains as a seasoned veteran. As such, as men are wont to do in regards to childish things, these self destructive traits have been discarded when it comes to Arreola’s preparation for this Saturday’s title bout: “Fighting a guy like Wilder, I have to be ready for anything. But he has to be ready too. I’m no slouch. I have fire and he’s another person in my way. I’m here to get it,” states Arreola definitively.
See our interviews below with Arreola where he describes his method for beating Wilder, as well as what motivates him now to really put his best foot forward to finally win the WBC title: