Deontay Wilder’s choice for his fourth title defense, Chris Arreola, will come in as a huge underdog for their July 16 bout. Originally scheduled to fight Alexander Povetkin, Arreola was chosen by Wilder after Povetkin tested positive for banned substances. While many are panning the selection, Arreola does pose some threat as a title challenger.
Bet on boxing odds at BookMaker.eu
Chris Arreola +1300
Deontay Wilder -2600
Please note, the boxing odds at BookMaker are updated on daily basis. The lines listed here may have changed since this article was posted.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Wilder is a 26-1 favorite, with a -2600 money line. Arreola is at +1300, meaning a winning $100 bet would pay out $1300. This sounds about right, considering that Arreola wasn’t ranked in the top 15 by any of the major sanctioning bodies before the fight was announced.
FIGHT LEAD-IN
This will be Arreola’s third title shot. A few years ago, the Mexican-American was an undefeated top contender, but the recent years have not been kind for the 35-year old. In his first title challenge, Arreola was stopped by then-champion Vitali Klitschko in 2009. In, 2014, he was knocked out by Bermane Stiverne in the 6th round in his second attempt at the title.
Although Arreola has been vocal in his desire to become the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent, this opportunity against Wilder could very well be his last shot at a major strap. He has not looked impressive in three fights following the Stiverne loss, and is only getting to face Wilder because Povetkin failed a urine test.
Wilder will have the advantage of fighting at home in Alabama. “I’m always excited about coming home and being in front of my people where I’m the most comfortable. I’ve been traveling a lot, going over to Sheffield, England, to train before I was supposed to fight Alexander Povetkin in Moscow.”
However, it’s unlikely that Wilder will need any sort of advantage against Arreola. Wilder has been impressive of late and comes into the bout on the strength of three straight KO/TKOs. In fact, the big man has knocked out all of his 36 opponents save one.
BREAKDOWN AND PREDICTION
At 6’7”, Wilder carries a four inch height advantage and a seven inch reach advantage over Arreola. Both men have knockout power, but Wilder is easily the more technical fighter of the two. However, Wilder was shaken up by Eric Molina and Johann Duhaupas, and Arreola hits harder than those fighters.
If you’ve got a spare Benjamin lying around, I wouldn’t argue against putting it on Arreola and hoping he lands a big shot. We’ve already seen a few major upsets this year, including Fury against Klitschko and Joe Smith against Andrzej Fonfara, and Arreola could plausibly join the list. But as far as predictions go, we have to assume Wilder will add another knockout to his resume.
Boxing odds: Wilder TKO Arreola, Round 8
HOW TO BET
With BookMaker Sportsbook, you can bet on boxing all year, from regional cards to pay-per-view events. Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook. You can even wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Wilder vs. Arreola takes place Saturday, July 16, 2016 at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. The Premier Boxing Champions card will televised on FOX starting 8 p.m. ET.
