Arreola (34-2, 29 KOs), 30, from Riverside, CA, remains determined to become the first man of Mexican descent to win a world heavyweight championship, having lost his first opportunity to long-reigning WBC Champion Vitali Klitschko back in 2009. Since experiencing his only other loss as a pro to Tomasz Adamek in April, 2010 "The Nightmare" has dedicated himself to training and physical conditioning while rattling off six consecutive wins, four by knockout, carrying about 20 pounds less while doing so.

In his most recent outing back in November, Arreola traveled to Leon, Guanajuato to make his highly anticipated Mexican debut at the grand arena "El Domo", where he headlined an event promoted by Goossen Tutor and Promociones Del Pueblo and broadcast on Televisa. He stopped Raphael Butler in the third round in front of over 7,000 rousing fans in attendance.

"I am very excited about fighting on February 18 in Corpus Christi and being on Showtime," Arreola exclaimed. "I remember seeing Fernando Vargas fighting in front of a full house here and I believe I will bring that type of excitement for these great fans. I am looking to build off a positive 2011 when I showed that I could get my weight under control and take my training and conditioning more seriously. This will be the first fight of what I predict will be a big and exciting 2012 for me and my career."The 30-year old Williams (40-2, 27 KO), a southpaw from Aiken, SC who twice held the WBO Welterweight Championship and the interim Super Welterweight Championship, will take on Japan's Nobuhiro Ishida (24-6-2, 9 KO) in the scheduled 12-round super welterweight main event.

"The Punisher" takes on Ishida with his sight strictly on re-establishing his reputation as "The World's Most Feared Boxer." Fighting just three times in the past two years, Williams is looking to stay busier and getting back to dominate victories. Before sustaining a devastating second-round knockout in a WBC World Middleweight championship bout against Sergio Martinez in November 2010, Williams was involved in one of the most awkward victories in boxing when Kermit Cintron took a nosedive through the ropes and landing of the floor beneath the ring, declared himself unable to continue. After the Martinez bout, Williams took on the challenge of Cuban Erislandy Lara back in July of last year and earned what many considered a very controversial decision win, despite the fact Williams threw and connected with more punches than Lara.

In facing the 36-year old Ishida, Williams will be taking on a dangerous veteran who, back in May of last year, handed current WBC Continental Americas Light Middleweight Champion James Kirkland his first defeat after 27 straight wins by knocking him down three times en route to a first-round stoppage in Las Vegas - his only fight on American soil to date. After his KO loss to Ishida, Kirkland landed a November fight with Alfredo Angulo who had 17 knockouts out of his 20 wins, and in another slugfest, Kirkland stopped Angulo in the 6th round, making Ishida's KO victory over him that more meaningful.

"I am happy to be getting back in the ring and honored to be fighting on SHOWTIME and I know 2012 is going to be a good year for me," Williams, stated. "Just like in the gym, sometimes you have good days and sometimes bad days. I had a couple of bad days against Martinez and Lara, but I am much more focused now and I intend to show everyone in Corpus Christi.

"I know Ishida is a hungry fighter and a hungry fighter is a most dangerous fighter. Lara fought over his head against me and I am gonna try not to let it happen again with Ishida. I am looking to get some belts in 2012 at 154 and 160 pounds."

Tavoris "Thunder" Cloud (23-0, 19 KOs), of Tallahassee, Fla., will be making the fourth defense of the IBF light heavyweight title he won via 12-round unanimous decision over former world champion Clinton Woods in August 2009. The hard-hitting, 29-year-old then successfully defended his title against Glen Johnson, Fulgencio Zuniga and Yusaf Mack.

Challenging him for the IBF belt is the very competent 33-year-old Spaniard from Madrid, Gabriel Campillo (28-3-1, 8 KOs). A former WBA light heavyweight world champion, Campillo handed current world champion Beibut Shumenov the only loss of his career - on his home soil in Kazakhstan, no less. Now, in his second trip to America, he presents a serious challenge to Cloud.

The undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

The fights from Corpus Christi -- will begin at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Tickets ON SALE THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 10:00 a.m. Prices will be -- $25, $35, $50, $75, $100 and will be available at the American Bank Center box office, all Ticketmaster outlets and online at Ticketmaster.com. VIP seating packages are available by calling (817) 296-4546.

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites