Klitschko to fight Arreola in LA

Despite some initial trouble securing a fight for the fall, heavyweight titlist Vitali Klitschko (37-2, 36 KOs) will be facing off against Cristobal Arreola (27-0, 24 KOs) in a heavyweight title fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, according to ESPN.com. The bout is scheduled to take place on September 26.

Klitschko originally had plans to defend his title against David Haye in the September, but despite the agreement Haye backed out of the fight, instead signing on to fight Nikolai Valuev in November. (This was the second time Haye had backed out of a fight with a Klitschko, as he had also agreed to fight Vitali's brother Wladimir earlier in the year, but ended up snubbing him as well.) Klitschko was therefore left without an opponent until Arreola stepped up at the opportunity to fight him in what will be the Arreola's first shot at a title.

Though the contract for the Klitschko-Arreola fight has not been signed yet, it has been agreed upon, according to Klitschko's manager, Bernd Boente. Arreola's trainer, Henry Ramirez, confirmed this as well, stating, "The fight's done, it's a done deal…It worked out to our benefit with whatever B.S. David Haye was pulling with Klitschko."