Heavyweight Arreola sees path to top
With boxing’s heavyweight division lacking star power, Chris Arreola sees an opportunity to gain a title shot from either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko, the brothers who between them hold four of the five belts.
But first Arreola (26-0, 23 knockouts) must successfully defend his NABF title when he meets Jameel McCline on Saturday at Mandalay Bay.
“I’m hoping it (Klitschko fight) happens this year,” said Arreola, ranked No. 2 by the WBC and IBF. “But I’m not going to worry about it. I know all about the politics. It’s out of my control, so why worry?”
The fight, headlining the undercard of the Winky Wright-Paul Williams middleweight bout, is pivotal for Arreola. The quality of his opponents steadily has improved, and McCline probably will be his toughest fight to date. McCline (39-9-3, 23 KOs) has fought John Ruiz, Sam Peter and Nikolay Valuev.
“I need to be pushed at this stage of my career,” Arreola said. “He’s a tough fighter, and he has fought a lot of the best in the division.”
Other than missing two days last week with the flu, Arreola said training has gone well.
“We had a lot of tough sparring partners,” Arreola said. “I want to make sure I’m ready for anything.”
• VIEWING PARTY — Top Rank chairman Bob Arum will reach into his vault of classic fight films for a viewing party at the Lucky Club Hotel in North Las Vegas on April 24.
Arum’s plan is to have a series of viewing parties, the first featuring Roberto Duran. Fights to be shown April 24 include Duran’s 1983 fight against Davey Moore and Duran’s first fight against Sugar Ray Leonard, in 1980.
Duran is tentatively scheduled to attend, and admission is free.
• WORLDS COLLIDE, PART 2 — The second installment of the “Worlds Collide” boxing-mixed martial arts tournament will take place April 17 at Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, with four weight divisions competing in the second of three quarterfinal rounds. The finals are scheduled for November.
Eight bouts are on the card starting at 7 p.m., alternating between boxing and MMA.
• MCCALL COMEBACK — Former world heavyweight champion Oliver McCall, who hasn’t fought since 2007, will headline a Crown Boxing card May 22 at The Orleans.
McCall, 34, will fight John Hopaote for the IBA continental heavyweight belt.
McCall (51-9, 36 KOs) won the WBC heavyweight title in 1994, then lost it to Frank Bruno a year later. McCall last fought Oct. 19, 2007, losing a 12-round decision to Juan Carlos Gomez in Germany.
McCall’s son Elijah, 2-0 as a heavyweight, will face Michael Schultz on the undercard.
• PALMS CARD POSTPONED — The May 15 card at the Palms, featuring heavyweights Charles Shufford of Las Vegas and Saul Montana, was postponed Saturday.
No reason was given, and no new date was announced.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.