Arlovski ready to give boxing a serious go

by Scott Christ on Jan 1, 2009 1:18 PM EST in Boxing News Analysis

Freddie Roach, who has been training former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, says that Arlovski will take a pro boxing match after his upcoming Affliction MMA showdown with world-regarded top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko.

Roach says that Arlovski will sign with Golden Boy Promotions.

There's talk of him fighting Nikolai Valuev, but without the WBA ignoring their own rules about who can fight for their title, it'd have to be a non-title fight. Roach says he'd gladly put Arlovski in with Valuev, and frankly I have to suspect Andrei would beat Nikolai. He's always been a good striker in MMA, and Roach has been impressed with him thus far. Plus Freddie never talks big unless he truly feels he's right. Arlovski's a better athlete, has faster hands, and Valuev, honestly, just is not any good.

Can Andrei ever really be a top-flight heavyweight in boxing? I don't know -- why rush to judge that? Let's see him in a boxing ring first. If he did, it'd be a hell of a story.

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I believe.

I think Arlovski can make the switch to boxing. He’s an incredible athlete and has improved his stand-up since being with Freddie Roach. Also, Andre was never known for throwing kicks all that much in MMA matches so his natural tendencies and reactions would be punches instead of head kicks. It’d be great if he could do it.

by E-ROC on Jan 1, 2009 2:36 PM EST reply actions

Given this piss poor performance that Valuev had I would think many guys like Andrei can really beat him.

by Zocalo on Jan 1, 2009 3:39 PM EST reply actions

I'm still...

thinking Andrei loses to Valuev in under 4 rounds.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 1, 2009 6:08 PM EST reply actions

The trouble Arlovski will have is making those adjustments to not being able to take advantage of mistakes that boxers would make that could be capitilised with knees, kicks or takedowns which will actually help a boxer in a straight boxing match. Arlovski’s game relies a lot on his leg kicks and knees to the head, when it comes to just his hands one only has to look at how poorly he fought =against Tim Sylvia in their third fight to see that his hands won’t provide a world class heavyweight with too many problems unless he has a few fights first.

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by Angry Fight Fan on Jan 1, 2009 10:12 PM EST reply actions