Southern California heavyweight star Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (31-2, 27 KOs) will make a quick return to the ring when he faces 28-year-old Kendrick “The Apostle” Releford (22-14-2, 10 KOs) of Fort Worth, Texas, in a 10-round main event on Friday, May 27, at the world-class 6,000-seat Reno Events Center operated by the Reno-Sparks Convention Visitors Authority and televised LIVE on ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights” at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Goossen Tutor Promotions will present the televised doubleheader of heavyweight championship boxing billed as “Blame It On Reno, ESPN Style.” The main event of the ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights” telecast was originally scheduled to feature Josesito Lopez (29-3, 17 KOs) in his first championship defense of his NABF Light Welterweight Title against “Showtime” Steve Upsher Chambers (23-1-1, 6 KOs).
An injured knuckle by Lopez has forced the postponement of the fight.
The co-feature – in association with Boxing 360 – will remain a scheduled 12-round IBF Heavyweight Championship Elimination bout matching former Heavyweight World Title challenger Tony “The Tiger” Thompson (35-2, 23 KOs) against newly crowned USBA Heavyweight Champion Maurice “Sugar Mo” Harris (24-14-2, 10 KOs).
Last Saturday, May 14, a newly slimmed-down and focused Arreola once again put on a power-punching display as he recorded a third-round knockout against Nagy Aguilera at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on the undercard of the Andre Ward-Arthur Abraham Showtime Super Six World Boxing Classic Semifinal. After the fight, Arreola told reporters he hoped to get another fight soon.
“It’s only my second fight back since being serious,” Arreola said on Saturday. “I’ll be back in the gym, back to work on Tuesday. I need another fight fast just to stay focused on what I need to do.”
After learning his wish was granted by promoter Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor Promotions on Monday, Arreola said: “I didn’t think twice when Henry (Ramirez) told me the possibility of going right back into the ring in Reno. I’ve got one objective in my career now – train, fight and win.”
“It’s always unfortunate when a main event fighter gets hurt, but in this case, the fans are the real winners having Chris accept this challenge on such short notice,” Goossen said. “He’s everything you would want in a heavyweight world contender, he loves to fight.”
In the former WBO Latino Heavyweight Champion Releford, the 30-year-old Arreola will face an experienced fighter with a rich family history in boxing. Releford is trained by his father Kenneth Releford who won several amateur titles, including the Fort Worth (Texas) Golden Gloves. Releford’s three uncles – George Releford, Anthony Releford and Vincent Releford – also had noteworthy amateur careers.
Doors open at 4 p.m. with the first bout at 5 pm. The first ESPN televised bout is set for 9 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. PT.
Tickets for the May 27 boxing card at the Reno Events Center are priced at $100, $59.50 and $29.50 (General Admission). Tickets may be purchased at Reno Events Center, Eldorado and Silver Legacy’s Ticket Offices, or by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on line at www.ticketmaster.com.
