Robert Morales reported at BoxingScene.com that Cristobal Arreola and Manuel Quezada will fight on August 13 on Friday Night Fights. It's a big bout between the two Goossen Tutor heavyweights, with a loss taking either out of any sort of title contention for the near future.
Quezada (29-5, 18 KO) hadn't lost a fight since 2005 when he dropped a split decision to Jason Gavern in April. He's a decent puncher and on the right nights, looks like a guy who could give most heavyweights some real trouble, including Arreola. Arreola (28-2, 25 KO) has lost two of his last three, dropping an ugly TKO-10 to Vitali Klitschko and a wide decision to Tomasz Adamek, and between them beating the incredibly game but well overmatched Brian Minto.
The fight is obviously far bigger for Arreola than it is for Quezada. Arreola has a nice fanbase as a Mexican-American heavyweight, and an exciting fighter to boot. He's taken a crack at a major title and lost, and took another big fight in April and lost that one. If he were to lose to Quezada, it will kill his immediate future.
A win, even though Quezada isn't a major player, would push him right back into the big fights probably. There are a number of reasons for this. HBO has shown a willingness to buy his fights, because he's a marketable American heavyweight who actually shows up to fight, no matter what shape he's in or how many people bust on his physical appearance. He's also not going to be seen as a terribly troubling opponent for most of the best heavyweights, either. Honestly, after watching Arreola struggle so mightily (but bravely) with the undersized Adamek, I can't imagine too many good heavyweights worrying about fighting Arreola anymore. In other words, he's good money and a guy that other top guys will assume they should beat.
Of course, if it ever all "clicks" for Arreola, I truly believe he can beat just about anybody out there (not the Klitschkos) on the right night, but that's a whole other story and one not rooted in reality right now.
This should serve as a bounce-back win for Arreola and nothing more, but could also be a barnburner, and frankly, you just never know when a guy whose dedication has been questioned might fall off the cliff, so to speak. Quezada should be expected to show up ready to rumble, and Arreola cannot afford to take anyone lightly at this point.