It was another dominant and methodical performance by WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko as he battered challenger Cristobal Arreola over the course of ten rounds until the referee called a halt to the action. Arreola was courageous and game as he pressed the action, eating right hand after right hand from the champion as he tried to close the distance. Klitschko, however, remained calm as he evaded any meaningful punches from Arreola while landing his own.
To his credit, Arreola never stopped trying, but the difference in skill level and experience was evident. Klitschko easily controlled the action with his jab and right hand, but he mixed it up with solid left hooks and uppercuts whenever he chose to. While at times, Arreola was able to get inside and land some shots to the body and upstairs, it simply wasn't enough to do any serious damage to the champion.
As the fight wore on, Klitschko began slowing Arreola down with some hard right hands to the body. Arreola's bloodied and battered face told the tale of what was happening in the ring. Klitschko had to work hard, perhaps harder than he's had to work in a long time, to get the victory, but in the end, the outcome was the same. After ten lopsided rounds, Arreola's corner had seen enough and had the ref save the young heavyweight challenger from taking any further damage.
While it may not have been pretty, the performance by Vitali was just about as dominant as Mayweather's unanimous decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez or Manny Pacquiao's devastating knockout of Ricky Hatton. In fact, at times, Klitschko looked like a cross between Manny and Floyd, combining the dynamic offense of Pacquiao with the elusive defense of Mayweather. That being said, perhaps it's time to throw Klitschko's name into the hat for the title of best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport? Is Vitali Klitschko just as good as Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao? You be the judge!
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