If all heavyweight bouts were like this you wouldn't hear people lamenting about the health of the sport. That said, if they were, fighter's careers would last about 10 fights. Chris Arreola and Travis Walker looked like they were trying out for Rocky VII on HBO's fight card in Ontario, California. They threw relentlessly for two-plus rounds before Walker couldn't take the heat any longer. Arreola moved to 26-0 with 23 knockouts when he floored Walker with a left hook 13 seconds into the third round.

It didn't come easy. Arreola came into the fight at a robust 254 pounds probably about 15 beyond his normal weight. Some fight writers pointed out that he looked sluggish. It appeared here, that he simply came in with a flawed gameplan as Walker unleashed a barrage on Arreola in the first round. Arreola said that he wanted to feel what kind of power Walker had. Give Arreola credit, the guy has a chin. Walker, a muscular 6-foot-4 and 231 pounds, unloaded a three-punch combo (right uppercut, left and a right hook) that nearly sent Arreola into the ropes with 1:56 left in the first. He got Arreola to take a knee with a three-punch combo early in the second:

"He just got me with a strong right hand, a counter-hook," said Arreola told HBO's Max Kellerman. "The right hand came right in, right on the button. I had my hands up, he's a strong mother(expletive)."

The Riverside, California native regrouped and pounced on Walker, who gassed one minute into the round after throwing over 100 punches in the first. Arreola floored Walker twice to close the second. The Floridian didn't have his legs or wits back in order when he came out for the third.

Arreola could be a big money fighter for HBO but he's got to shore up some defensive deficiencies and get more dedicated to conditioning. Unfortunately with the shortage of marketable fighters to face the Klitschko, he'll probably get a shot later this year. He's got the power to take down one of the big guys but he's got to fight smarter than he did against Walker.

Walker (28-2-1), who is only 28, looked to have some potential. With better pacing, he could be a heavyweight to keep an eye on.

Photo via L.A. Times