I predicted a first round knockout by Vitali Klitschko. Technically it went 10, but nothing happened in rounds 2-10 that told me this wasn’t a sorry mismatch.
I’m not looking for inspirational stories and crying heavyweights. I want real fights.
What we now have is an era, in all 17 weight divisions, where challengers don’t even fight each other. They are publicized and finessed up the rankings by attrition, waiting for those above them to get their title shots or move out of the ratings for other reasons. And the promoters just wait.
Chris Arreola, if he fought better fighters on his way up, or even sparred with them, would have been a better opponent Saturday night. But he was big, and being a rare Mexican – American heavyweight, had an inspirational story for HBO to sell to the viewers.
So for about the past two years, Arreola saw his skills erode. He just stayed ready, took safe, easily winnable fights, as he moved up the World Boxing Council ratings as others ahead of him were removed and he finally saw himself number one!
If Arreola fought better fighters, he may have lost one or two along the way. If that had happened, his lofty unbeaten record would have been gone and HBO would have said good bye to fighting on its expensive air.
So he waited until Saturday night. Waited for the million dollar paycheck he and his promoter each received, and did as best he could.
24 hours earlier in Montreal, a 43 – year -old WBC No.1 contender, Silvio Branco did the same thing.
Take 17 weight divisions, four recognized international sanctioning groups and several random others, and regional titles. They all have different rankings and mandatory contenders and the same time we have more TV networks and Internet coverage, the skill level and even the numbers of fighters are dwindling.
It’s too late for Arreola to cry. He sold out a long time ago. This guy wouldn’t have made it as a sparring partner for Gerry Cooney back in the early 1980’s. Gerry Cooney had something to sell, he had the proverbial story. But he could fight.
