number1contender.net

Versus Fight Night on September 25, 2008 featured Chris Arreola vs. Israel Garcia. Arreola is coming off a victory over Chazz Witherspoon. Here is the original recap of that match:

HBO Boxing After Dark Recap

June 21, 2008

FedEx Forum-Memphis, Tennessee

1. WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight (200+ pounds) 12-Round Championship Match:

Chris Arreola (23-0, 21 KO's, 239 pounds) (c) vs. Chazz Witherspoon (23-0, 15 KO's, 220 pounds)

Arreola won this title when it was vacant via knockout at 1:45 of round 3 over Thomas Hayes on September 21, 2007 at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California. The previous champion was Tony Thompson, who vacated the title to take a match that has earned Thompson a mandatory title match against Wladimir Klitschko on July 12, 2008. Arreola is making his first defense of this title.

Arreola had a strong amateur career winning the 2001 National Golden Gloves Championships at 178 pounds.

The Riverside, California resident began his professional career with a technical knockout win 1:25 into round 2 over Roosevelt Parker on September 25, 2003 at the Edgewater Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, Nevada. Arreola's primary job at the time though, was as a professional sparing partner to then top heavyweights Hasim Rahman, James Toney, and current heavyweight champion Klitschko. The young boxer learned a lot from his time in the gym with these established boxers. Unfortunately, discipline was not one of the immediate lessons he picked up.

Arreola's weight began to balloon during the early part of his career. He went from the 178 pounds he won the Golden Gloves Championship at in 2001 to 236 pounds for his pro debut in 2003 to 256 pounds in 2005. However, Arreola's dedication to training increased in 2006, and for a match on November 4, 2006, he officially weighed-in at 229 pounds. That was the lightest of his pro career. Arreola won that match via technical knockout at 2:17 of round 7 over Damian Wills at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The champion's last match was a non-title technical knockout victory 1:22 into round 1 over Cliff Couser on February 9, 2008 at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California. However, there are some concerning signs coming out of that match. Arreola's weight is beginning to climb again. He weighed in for that match at 244 pounds. The quick knockout may have been more the result of a soft opponent then Arreola being better then ever. Couser entered the match having lost 4 of his last 5 all by knockout in 2 rounds or less.

Arreola is unranked by The Ring magazine, and the number 22 ranked heavyweight by boxrec.com

Witherspoon is a boxing prodigy that put together a solid amateur career in only a few years of competition. After boxing for only 22 months, Witherspoon qualified to be the alternate boxer at 201 pounds on the United States Olympic team at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. Witherspoon would continue to compete in the amateurs for 1 more year, and capture the National Golden Gloves Championship in 2005 at 200 pounds. On his way to capturing that title, Witherspoon won every match in the tournament via stoppage. That was the first time that feat had been accomplished in the history of the tournament at any weight class.

The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native's last match was a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Domonic Jenkins on April 16, 2008 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, New York.

Witherspoon is unranked by boxrec.com and the number 26 ranked heavyweight by boxrec.com

Both boxers were born in 1981. However, Arreola has already turned 27-years-old, while Witherspoon is still 26-years-old. Both boxers stand 6" 3" tall. Witherspoon has the reach advantage with a 26.5" arm length measured from the armpit to the end of the fist, compared to Arreola's 25.5" arm length measured the same way. Neither boxers' unofficial weight approaching match time is available. However, neither's should have changed much since the weigh-ins, and Arreola will be the much heavier boxer in the ring. Both boxers will employ the orthodox stance.

The unified rules of boxing are in effect for this event. Two of the judges keeping official score of this match are from Texas and the other is from Tennessee.The referee is Randy Phillips. Harold Lederman is keeping unofficial score of this event for HBO.

Arreola landed some good power punches that had Witherspoon wobbly in round 1. The Los Angeles, California native takes round 1, 10-9. Arreola appears very soft, though and is carrying at least 10 to 20 pounds of extra weight. That means the longer this match goes, Witherspoon will gain an advantage. Lederman scores round 1 for Arreola, 10-9. Arreola lands the harder punches to win round 2, 10-9. However, Arreola's body is wide open to be hit. Witherspoon's greater activity wins round 2 on Lederman's scorecard, 10-9. After a torrent of power punches capped by a right hand from Arreola, Witherspoon goes down with 1:05 to go in round 3. Witherspoon's right ankle bent under him when he went down, and that may effect his movement for the rest of the match. The Philadelphia native successfully answers the referee's count and is allowed to continue with 53 seconds to go in the round. A left hand sends Witherspoon sprawling face forward on the mat as the bell rings to end round 3. The referee is going to put in a count. The referee has Witherspoon walk towards him, which ends up being more of a stagger. Then the referee looks at Witherspoon's corner and says do you want to give up, as Witherspoon continues to stagger. The referee is obligated to stop this match, now. Witherspoon is in no shape to continue, and under the unified rules of boxing a boxer cannot be saved by the bell. The referee is going to let this match continue. Witherspoon's trainer has to come into the ring, and lead a still staggering Witherspoon, back to his stool. Awful job by the referee. This match should be over. Sending Witherspoon out for round 4 is going to be dangerous. Round 3 goes to Arreola, 10-7. Arreola leads on my scorecard after 3 rounds, 30-25.

In the corner after round 3, Witherspoon's eyes are vacant. Then in with Witherspoon in the corner the match is stopped. The referee is stopping the match ruling that the Witherspoon's corner came into the ring to stop the match, while it was in progress following the knockdown. Therefore, the match is over. That is completely incorrect, because the round was over and they were allowed in the ring. This is an incompetent job of refereeing. It appears the referee was told by someone else to disqualify Witherspoon during the break after round 3. That is on the Tennessee commission then for allowing this abomination of a finish. Under the unified rules of boxing only the referee can stop the match, not some random guy on the outside.

It appears the referee forgot the bell had rung originally the first time to end the round as Witherspoon went down.

The official outcome from Michael Buffer is: at 3:00 of round 3 (Buffer said 2 to tell you what a confusing debacle this has become to cross up Buffer) the corner of Witherspoon had entered the ring before the referee had completed his mandatory 8-count. Therefore the winner by disqualification, still undefeated, and still the WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Champion, Chris "The Nightmare" Areola. The win moves Arreola to 24-0 with 21 of those wins coming by way of knockout.

The referee said in his post match interview that it was his decision to stop the match. However, he consulted with someone at ringside, before he did it. That makes no sense. It is the referee's decision alone. This is not baseball, where you can get the umpires together to talk about a call. Someone clearly gave him the call and he is hiding the facts. When HBO's Max Kellerman, who was conducting the interview asked the referee if he would have stopped the match without the disqualification, the referee said he did not know. The referee said it was too difficult to say. However, the referee did know the answer. The answer was no, he would not have stopped the match. The referee allowed Witherspoon to return to his corner, and had there not been a disqualification, Witherspoon would have been allowed to start round 4. It should be interesting to hear what the whole story is behind this farce is. The referee was roundly booed during this entire match.

Arreola did not say anything of note in his post match interview.

Witherspoon said in his post match interview that his pride got the better of him. He said that he recovered really fast after the knockdown, which is not true.

Arreola should have rightfully won by knockout. The referee should have stopped the match following the second knockdown. The disqualification was garbage. However, Arreola was not as impressive as an early knockout over an undefeated boxer would suggest. He appeared out of shape, and his defense appeared very lacking. Arreola's punches were very wide. This win probably makes Arreola the top American heavyweight, which is disappointing. He is not ready to face the top boxers in the division, and appears years away from that level. Until Arreola makes a serious effort to lose weight, stay in shape, and clean up his technical flaws, he will not be a legitimate heavyweight contender.

Witherspoon's performance in this match was bad. He was quicker then Arreola, and had the opportunity to take advantage of Arreola's defensive flaws. However, at times he lost discipline, and chose to slug it out with the more powerful boxer. It does appear that Witherspoon has the more immediate upside, though. His punches are straight and crisp. However, he does not throw combinations and lacks the ability to tie up when he gets in trouble. Those flaws seem more mental and easier to correct in the gym then Arreola's. However, he too is years away from being an elite heavyweight.