The unbeaten, interim WBA 130-pound titlist is gunning for the KO against the dangerous Jaime Arboleda Saturday night in the main event on SHOWTIME.
Chris Colbert Opens up About Boxing and Life
In a year full of storylines, Chris "Prime Time" Colbert plans to make a statement on Saturday night.
Colbert will have his hands full as he defends his Interim WBA World Super Featherweight title versus the hard-hitting Jaime Arboleda in the main event of a PBC on SHOWTIME card (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), live from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
Fans who pay attention to the undercard bouts will remember the 24-year-old Colbert as the quick, flashy, switch-hitting fighter with the bright colored hair and the Mexican charro – the proper name for the wide-brimmed hats all the mariachi singers wear. Sombrero means hat and it can be anything from a Fedora to a cowboy hat. But the charro is a special kind, with the high-end ones being made of rabbit fur and costing thousands.
It is a hat worn by performers and that’s exactly what Colbert is. From the time he first walked into a gym as a thirteen-year-old wanting to “beat everyone up,” he has been waiting for this moment. All eyes will be on Colbert (14-0, 5 KOs) in the main event and, if he wins, he will have served notice to the mainstream fans.
An emphatic win will see his social media following increase, casual fans will start tuning in, and the likelihood of landing a fight with the division’s elite will rise exponentially. Colbert is on the brink of entering that realm where mainstream reporters will call for interviews. He will have to be ready to speak to reporters who might not know the difference between a knockout and a submission.
“ I hope he doesn’t run or clinch because I’d love to get the knockout. ” Undefeated Interim WBA World Super Featherweight Champion - Chris Colbert
They will want to know his story about growing up in Brooklyn the sixth of ten children, fighting every day and flirting with a path that could lead to prison and even death. They will want to know more about how he walked into a gym in the middle of a housing projects and found not just an outlet, but a career and a father figure in trainer Aureliano Sosa.
But first, he must get past Arboleda.
Panama’s Arboleda, 26, 16-1 (13 KOs), has slight advantages in height and reach. His record indicates he might have the edge in punching power too. He also wants to bring home a championship, something Panama has not had in a couple of years.
But he’ll have to catch Colbert first and the Brooklyn fighter has thus far not been an easy target for his opponents to find. His defense, speed, and ability to switch effortlessly between orthodox and southpaw stances have proved unsurmountable obstacles thus far.
“I have to cut off the ring, keep him on the ropes, and work the body. I have to slow him down,” Arboleda told the Panamanian press before leaving for Connecticut.
That is exactly what Colbert is expecting. “That’s the only chance he has. He can’t outbox me.” Colbert is ready for anything and added that he “loves” to bang inside and “I hope he doesn’t run or clinch because I’d love to get the knockout.”
Though he doesn’t call anyone out, a knockout would put Colbert in the mix with the best at 130-pounds, fighters like Gervonta Davis.
“I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me. My job is to win,” said Colbert.
A big win on Saturday and Colbert won’t have to call anyone out. Instead, he will be one of the guys all the other fighters will be seeking.
For a closer look at Chris Colbert, check out his fighter page.
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