WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko insists he will not underestimate Chris Arreola on September 26.
Veteran Ukrainian sets up Arreola clash in LA
WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko insists he will not underestimate Mexican-American Chris Arreola on September 26.
The 38-year-old Ukrainian, who retired in 2005 but returned last year, had been due to face David Haye in September but the Englishman opted to face Nikolai Valuev instead.
And Bernd Boente, head of Klitschko's management group, moved quickly to line up an alternative bout with 28-year-old Arreola at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.
"I am very pleased negotiations have been successfully concluded and that we can offer fans worldwide the fight everyone wants to see," he said.
"Vitali and Chris Arreola are both known as hard punchers and few experts believe this fight will go the distance."
Confident
Klitschko (37-2, 36 KOs), who lost to Lennox Lewis at the Staples Centre in 2003, expects a tough fight against Arreola in the city of his birth, but remains confident of retaining his belt.
"Chris Arreola is one of the strongest possible rivals," he said.
"He is young, undefeated, has a hard punch and is very confident.
"I will definitely not underestimate him, but at the same time I have no doubt that I will leave California as the champion still."
Arreola, who had been due to fight Oleg Maskaev, said he was delighted to have the chance to face Klitschko.
"It's an opportunity of a lifetime," he said.
"It's a dream come true to fight the best heavyweight in the world in my hometown."
