Promoter: Cris Arreola suffered broken hand in Friday fight

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Cris Arreola‘s lethargic performance Friday night in defeating obscure heavyweight Manny Quezada now has an attachment that boxers have historically clung to: an excuse.

‘Cris suffered a broken left hand in the second round, and his right hand needs surgery because of tendon damage,’ promoter Dan Goossen said Monday.

Arreola (29-2) graded his own performance a C-minus on Friday, crediting Quezada’s defense and blaming his own defensive miscues for an outing that included three knockdowns but fell far short of what was expected from a fighter portrayed as a world-class talent capable of becoming the first world heavyweight champion of Mexican descent.

Goossen went as far Monday as agreeing that Arreola’s performance through pain was heroic. The boxer will be examined Tuesday by a hand specialist and could learn how long he’ll be sidelined.

Does it excuse the flat showing at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario?

‘I don’t like to use that kind of wording,’ Goossen said. ‘He was fighting a real heavyweight. Manny Quezada is very good. You throw in the fact Cris had broken his [left] hand and suffered the tendon damage [in his right hand], it doesn’t excuse the performance, it enhances it.’

Spin control at work.

--Lance Pugmire