It?s not the fight he expected, but Deontay Wilder didn?t want to waste all the work he had put in for his May 21 WBC heavyweight title defense against Alexander Povetkin in Moscow which was postponed after Povetkin tested positive for steroids.
Instead, Wilder gets to stay home and defend his belt against Chris Arreola on July 16 in Birmingham, Alabama. The fight will be part of the Premier Boxing Champions series and will be televised by Fox and Fox Deportes.
?Things happen. This is boxing. It is a business,? said Wilder (36-0, 35 knockouts). ?The saying is, ?One door closes and another one opens.? This is a prime example of that. This opportunity is opened wide.
?I understand being patient and patience is a virtue. I?ve been patient all my life. I am not an overnight success. I don?t believe in luck. As you see, Chris Arreola stayed patient. You wonder why he continued to get title fights. It is his time. With the circumstances that we were facing, to come back and do a short notice-type fight, as far as looking for opponents, we knew it had to be the right person.?
Arreola (36-4-1, 31 KOs), will try once again to win the title. He got stopped by WBC champ Vitali Klitschko in 2009 and lost to Bermane Stiverne in 2014 when they fought for the vacant WBC title.
?I have to make the best out of this opportunity,? Arreola said. ?He is doing what he is supposed to do as a champion. He is defending his title. I have to approach this fight different than any others. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Deontay has a lot to lose. He is going to come prepared. He knows what kind of fighter I am. I am going to give it my all.?
VARGAS OPENS CAMP
WBO welterweight champ Jessie Vargas has been in the gym staying busy. But the once-beaten Las Vegan opens his training camp Monday at the Top Rank Gym to prepares for his unification title fight against IBF champ Kell Brook Sept. 3 in Sheffield, England.
?The key for this fight is Dewey Cooper,? Vargas, 27, said of his trainer. ?He?s coming up with the game plan for Sept. 3 and as long as follow it, I know we?re going to be victorious.?
Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs) won the belt March 5 in Washington, D.C. when he stopped Sadam Ali in he ninth round. It was Cooper?s first time in the corner that night and Vargas said the two have grown closer in the weeks since.
?I have 100 percent confidence in my entire team, not just Dewey,? Vargas said. ?We?re going to train hard and train smart and be totally prepared.?
WARD?S VEGAS DEBUT?
It?s been a long time coming but Andre Ward might finally fight in Las Vegas.
Roc Nation Sports, which promotes Ward, has asked the Nevada Athletic Commission for the date of Saturday, Nov. 19 at T-Mobile Arena for what will be the long-awaited light heavyweight title fight between Ward and Sergey Kovalev. Main Events, which promotes Kovalev, has also requested to co-promote on that date.
Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision win over Sullivan Barrera March 26 in Oakland, California. Kovalev, the current WBA, IBF and WBO 175-pound champion, defends his titles July 11 when he meets Isaac Chilemba in Russia.
Also, Golden Boy Promotions has requested Sept. 17 be held aside at T-Mobile Arena for what is expected to be Canelo Alvarez?s next fight against an opponent to be determined. Alvarez stopped Amir Khan May 7 in the first-ever boxing card at T-Mobile.
Both dates are expected to be approved at the NAC?s Tuesday meeting. HBO Pay Per View is expected to televise both Ward-Kovalev and Alvarez?s fight.
AMATEUR CARD
Barry?s Boxing will present a Father?s Day weekend amateur fight card at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Santa Fe Hotel and Casino.
Eighteen bouts featuring local fighters are scxheduled. Admission is $10 at the door.
