By outreach@cw.ua.edu (Tyler Waldrep)

Chris Arreola forced the WBC Heavyweight Champion of the World, Deontay Wilder, back on the ropes and delivered some body blows in the fourth round. The crowd of 11,974, a large majority of which was was cheering for Wilder only minutes before, should have gasped.

Instead laughter filled Legacy Arena as Wilder responded with a thrust of his hips. Then he responded and knocked Arreola to the mat.

“The fourth round knockdown was a situation where he just hit me with the perfect shot,” Arreola said. “Nothing I could do about it.”

It just got worse for the challenger after that. Eventually his corner was forced to call it after the eighth round when Arreola’s (36-5-1) right eye began to swell shut. The crowd joined Wilder (37-0) in his celebration, but the defending champ wasn’t able to enjoy his moment for long.

At the end of the fourth round Wilder told his trainer, Jay Deas, that there was something wrong with his right bicep, and after the fifth Wilder’s hand was bothering him too.

“[The plan then was to] get back on the jab. Don’t let Chris know that there’s a problem, because that can only hurt you,” Deas said. “He still threw the right hand, Deontay’s going to throw it regardless, but we really had to pick our shots with it, but the jab became the key.”

After the fight Wilder announced to the crowd that he had broken his hand and torn his bicep during the fight.

“If I have one hand or two hands, you can’t deny that I’m the best in the world,” Wilder said. “I’m going to still give it to you whether I have one hand or two hands. I won’t stop. As a champion it’s my duty to keep going no matter what I’m going through. Pain ain’t nothing to me. I got a high tolerance on pain. When you’re dealing with fights, it’s not over until it’s over.”

This post will be updated.*

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Source:: The Crimson White Sports