Chris Arreola: I don’t deserve this title shot. But I’m going to do everything possible to win it

Chris Arreola

WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder needed to rustle up an opponent at short-notice. Chris Arreola may be a former world title challenger and is often in entertaining fights but is still a controversial choice for their July 16 clash in Birmingham, Alabama. The result of his last bout was changed to a no decision after Arreola tested positive for marijuana, a recreational drug.

โ€œLet me just get this straight. Itโ€™s a failed marijuana test. Whatever you want to say, whatever you want to call it, if you want say that marijuana is a PED then people are f****** idiots,โ€ Arreola declared. โ€œYou want to take my win away over that, fine, whatever, take my win. I donโ€™t care.โ€

Wilder explained why this challenger was the man for the job. โ€œNo matter what people say, the guy comes to fight,โ€ Deontay said. โ€œAfter he got beat, he didnโ€™t make excuses. We know that heโ€™s going to make a great fight, he was the perfect person for this situation that we had and my people deserve a great fight, the fans deserve a great fightโ€ฆ Iโ€™m looking forward to it.โ€

Chris Arreola did concede, โ€œDo I deserve this title shot? No, I donโ€™t think I do. But since I donโ€™t deserve it, just like Deontay said, everything that I didnโ€™t do in the past Iโ€™m doing, everything that I was supposed to do, Iโ€™m now doing. So Iโ€™m doing everything I possibly can to win this fight. Everything. Iโ€™ve got to leave everything in the ring, Iโ€™ve got to leave everything out there. My back is against the wall, this is my last title shot and I have to come, I have to bring it, I have to make this a dog fight, plain and simple.โ€

It wonโ€™t be easy for Arreola. In March he broke his ankle, he has acquired a reputation for being a far from diligent trainer. But he insisted, โ€œIโ€™m coming for the win, Iโ€™m not just coming to show up, Iโ€™m not coming just to get paid. Thatโ€™s not me. Iโ€™m not that guy that comes to get paid. Iโ€™m coming for that title. Iโ€™m coming for that win. I donโ€™t even know Iโ€™m getting paid for this fight. It wasnโ€™t even told to me. I donโ€™t care. Moneyโ€™s not the part. My part is I want to win this fight. Thatโ€™s the godโ€™s honest truth.โ€

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