Deontay Wilder would like to make an easy optional defense against Chris Arreola on September 26. (Photo : REUTERS)
WBC heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33 KOs) may make a second defense of his title on Sept. 26 probably against former title challenger Chris Arreola (36-4, 31 KOs).
It will be an optional defense before Wilder's mandatory defense against former titlist Alexander Povetkin will be ordered in October.
Wilder won the his title in January by beating Bermane Stiverne and made his first defense on June 13 with a one-sided ninth-round knockout of Eric Molina.
The WBC champion seems to be looking past both Povetkin and whoever turns out to be his opponent on September and is looking to tangle against the winner of Wladimir Klitschko vs Tyson Fury.
Fury (24-0, 18 KOs) feels so sure about winning the IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight titles from Klitschko (64-3, 53 KOs) that he is already talking about a unification bout with Wilder.
Wilder responded by saying he's ready for Fury and whished the latter luck against Klitschko as he'll surely need it.
Arreola (36-4, 31 KOs) should survive a July 18 fight against Freddy Kassi to get another shot.
The 34-year-old Arreola was stopped by Bermane Stiverne in the 6th round in an attempt to capture the vacant WBC heavyweight title in May last year.
He followed up that performance with an eight round unanimous decision win in March over second tier Curtis Harper, who was ableto dominate the first four rounds before gassing out.
Both fighters looked badly out of shape.
Arreola also lost via 10th round knockout to former WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in 2009 in a fight that was one-sided.
Despite losing two out of his last four fights, both to Stiverne, Arreola is still ranked in the top 15 at No.12 with the World Boxing Council.
The 35-year-old Kassi suffered a seventh-round knockout against Amir Mansour in his last fight in November.
