By Eric Duran
Al Haymon’s PBC Boxing on Spike TV has made a few minor moves regarding their debut boxing card tonight.
Andre Berto (29-3, 22 KOs) will still face Josesito Lopez (33-6, 19 KOs) in the main event live from the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. However, the Shawn Porter-Roberto Garcia co-main event has been scratched from televised portion of the broadcast when Garcia failed to attend the weigh-ins.
With that being said, heavyweight Chris Arreola (35-4, 31 KOs) of Los Angeles, CA, has officially been bumped up to the co- main event on PBC’s Spike TV debut.
Arreola, who was stopped last time out in a WBC heavyweight world title bout by now ex-champ Bermane Stiverne, is scheduled to face unheralded Curtis Harper (12-3, 8 KOs) of Jacksonville, FL.
Arreola is a fan favorite who has held every version of the WBC belt except the one that counts, losing on two occasions to now-retired great Vitali Klitschko and Stiverne. Arreola fights with a passion that most Mexican greats have before him, willing to lose on his shield instead of on the cards. But he also battles with his waistline, and has come in at a hefty 262 pounds for this bout, his heaviest weight since 2009.
Harper is in no way a soft opponent. Two of his three losses have come at the hands of heavyweight prospects. He went the distance with once beaten prospect, Donovan Dennis. Before the Dennis bout, he was stopped in five rounds by the undefeated, Gerald Washington.
Harper is currently riding a five-fight winning streak. The streak includes a win over 15-0 at the time, Joshua Tufte.
Arreola vs Harper will be contested over 10 rounds.
With Garcia no-showing the weigh-in, Porter (24-1-1, 15 KOs) will now face Erick Bone of Ecuador.
Porter is coming off a loss to Kell Brook in August. Brook defeated Porter for his IBF Welterweight title by Majority decision. Porter was hoping a good showing on regular cable television would propel him back into the title picture, after he was made to look one-dimensional by the rising British star Brook.
Bone (16-1, 8 KOs), 26, name may not be a recognizable name, but this isn’t the first time he’s fought inside the United States. He currently riding a four-fight winning streak, 3-0 inside the US. One of those wins was against former prospect, Francisco Figueroa, stopping the New York native in five rounds. Two of his last three bouts have been promoted by Lou Dibella.
Bone’s only loss came at the hands of Alberto Mosquera (22-2, KO’s) by spilt decision for the WBC Latino Jr. Welterweight title. If Mosquera’s name rings a bell, it’s because he was a victim of rising contender, Sammy Vasquez Jr.