Deontay Wilder didn't knock Chris Arreola out, but he did beat him badly enough that Arreola's corner stopped the fight.
Deontay Wilder remained undefeated and kept his WBC heavyweight title tonight, stopping Chris Arreola after eight rounds in front of an announced 11,974 fans in Birmingham, Alabama, live on FOX.
Wilder (37-0, 36 KO) mostly had his way here, including a knockdown of Arreola late in the fourth round, but there is some concern coming out of this fight about Wilder’s right hand, which he didn’t throw much at all after the fourth round. He’s hand injury problems with that hand in the past, and it has been surgically repaired.
Wilder confirmed in his in-ring interview after the fight that he injured the hand, saying he thinks he broke it and tore a muscle in his hand.
Arreola (36-5-1, 31 KO) started very slowly, but did get himself going a bit as the fight wore on. Arreola did land an occasional decent right hand, but he was overall outclassed here, which is what was expected. This is expected to be the final world title shot the 35-year-old veteran will get, but who knows?
Punch stats were lopsided. Wilder landed 152 of 346 (44%) punches, with Arreola at 52 of 188 (28%).