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Arreola Rightfully Questions Judges Scorecards
By William Trillo
Photo: Sean Michael Ham - TGB Promotions
The fight between Heavyweights Andy Ruiz (34-2, 22 KOs)
and Chris Arreola (38-7-1, 33 KOs) had not gone two
rounds before a clubbing right hand from Arreola put
Ruiz down for an eight count. In the next round Ruiz was
staggered by another Arreola attack. Ruiz survived the
early trouble and went on to earn a unanimous decision
victory after twelve hard fought rounds.
The fight went back and forth for over the remainder of
the fight as both men landed heavy leather in this
battle of the big men. It appeared to be close through
the midway point of the fight.
In the second half of the fight Ruiz landed a shot off
Arreola’s shoulder that made him visibly wince in pain.
The tough Arreola shook off the injury and kept the
pressure on Ruiz. The injury slowed Arreols’a attack and
Ruiz began to get a slight edge.
Never the quitter Arreola kept on the attack. Anytime he
could get Ruiz moving in retreat it seemed as though he
had the edge. But when Ruiz was moving forward he was
giving Arreola his share of problems.
Ruiz was landing but never did he have Arreola in any
serious trouble. It was hard not to give Andy most of
the latter rounds. Arreola made a good go of it but when
the fight was over it looked as though Ruiz may have
pulled out a close victory.
The judges did not see it so close and handed down
scores of 117-110, 118-109 & 118-109, all in favor of
Ruiz.
In essence, two of the judges only gave Arreola one
round, that being round two when he dropped Ruiz, and
the other judge didn’t see it much better than that.
Honestly, I gave Ruiz a slight edge but there is no way
he dominated Arreola as the scorecards suggest.
At the post-fight press conference a disgruntled Arreola
stated, “A lot of his punches I caught on my gloves, and
yeah, I moved my head and I was countering pretty good
too. I didn’t get no credit for none of that sh*t! I am
very dejected and it pisses me off!”
After the fight both men said they would like to do this
one again. Officially the fight was a WBA title
eliminator so it remains to be seen the direction Ruiz
decides and to go.
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