Brick City Boxing

“Niño” rooting for fellow Mexican-American heavyweight, calls him “pioneer”

Undefeated El Paso heavyweight David "Niño" Rodriguez thinks fellow undefeated Mexican-American contender Chris Arreola has what it takes

to defeat WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko this weekend at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

“If Klitschko thinks he is going to issue a boxing lesson and avoid fighting him, I think he’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. “Chris is definitely a hard puncher, and a real rugged heavyweight. He comes in and slips punches well, too. He is definitely a tough, Mexican fighter who comes straight for you and likes to mix it up. I don’t know, if at 38 years old, Klitschko has the ability to keep this young 28-year-old guy off of him.”

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An Arreola victory would make the Riverside, Calif. native the first heavyweight champion of Mexican-American descent. And Rodriguez will be

rooting for him.

“I honestly wish Chris the best,” Rodriguez said. “I do feel that he is a pioneer for Mexican heavyweights. I have no doubt that I will get to the

heavyweight championship one day. But he got there first, and I want him to succeed.”

Rodriguez, 32-0 with 30 knockouts (25 in the first round), is two weeks removed from a riveting third-round destruction of veteran Robert Davis in

Monterrey, Mexico. Although he suffered a bizarre cut on his finger — from a tooth that he knocked out of Davis’ mouth — Rodriguez said the wound

is healing nicely. He is expected to get back to work soon.

“I can’t wait to get back in the gym,” said “Niño,” who is hoping to fight one more time in 2009.