Vitali Klitschko or Cris Arreola? Boxing Experts Tell Us Who's Going to Win

World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali klitschko and challenger Cris Arreola boast a combined 60 knockouts among their 64 wins. So the chances are slim that Saturday night's HBO-televised clash at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will go the full, 12-round distance.

If that's the case, just whom do you believe will end up on the canvas?

FanHouse sought out the opinions and predictions of some of the sport's most knowledgeable sources in the boxing world for the answer to that question.

Steve Farhood, Showtime boxing analyst
Klitschko by fifth-round KO: "Arreola will try to make it messy in order to get in close, but the price that he will pay will be too great. Arreola will eat way too many punches. Same old story for Klitschko: jab, right hand, jab, right hand. Win the fight."

Nancy Gay, FanHouse.com
Klitschko, KO 2: "I'm going to go with Klitschko, second-round knockout. He is too powerful, too conditioned and too experienced. Arreola isn't ready for this step and will find himself in trouble early."

Steve Kim, MaxBoxing.com
Klitschko by decision: "I like Klitschko in a decision in a fight that is much more dangerous and competitive than most people believe it will be. Win, lose or draw, Arreola is a guy who is going to try to go out and win. He will not allow Klitschko to stand on that pitcher's mound and throw strikes at him.

"I think that Arreola is going to try to use a good, strong jab to jab his way in. I believe that he will try to bang to the body and smother Klitschko. I've seen Arreola's workouts, and he looks a lot more nimble on his feet than I've seen and he's got the right mindset and the right gameplan.

"I believe that Klitschko is still going to win, but that Arreola will fight well enough in defeat that he will legitimize why he got the shot in the first place."

Jim Lampley, HBO boxing color commentator
Klitschko, TKO 9: "Arreola's very exciting, because he's that rare heavyweight who throws punches in bunches, and because he's so active, there's a shock value. If he catches Vitali with something big in the first few rounds, then maybe he's got a chance.

"But the probable, inevitable reality here is that the bigger, stronger, far superior technician stays within himself, uses his jab, weathers the early storm and beats Arreola down."

Kieran Mulvaney, ESPN.com boxing and Reuters
Klitschko by mid-to-late round TKO: "Arreola will make it fun and interesting, and he'll go out on his shield -- but he will go out. Klitschko will let Arreola make the fight at first, and will land that straight right as Arreola throws himself at him.

"Ultimately, though, that thudding punch and Arreola's conditioning will prove telling. And the American will be beaten down by around the seventh or eighth round of an entertaining contest."

Dan Rafael, ESPN boxing
Klitschko, mid-round stoppage: "Klitscho is bigger, stronger, better more experienced. I know that Arreola has a big heart and will try to win, but Klitschko is better at everything and will stop him inside of six rounds."

Joe Santoliquito, Managing Editor, Ring Magazine
Klitschko KO 5: "I think it will be an exciting fight. Arreola will attack him and take a lot of chances, and that will force Klitschko to take a lot of chances. But Klitschko has too much skill for Arreola at this stage of Arreola's career, so I can very well see Klitschko stopping Arreola in the fifth round."

Michael David Smith, FanHouse.com
Klitschko by unanimous decision: "It would be great for the sport to see an American heavyweight champion, but I just don't see Arreola having much of a chance against Klitschko. As he so often does, Klitschko will capitalize on his height and reach advantage and use his powerful jab to keep Arreola at bay."

Tim Smith, New York Daily News
Klitschko, fifth round TKO: "My hesitation in picking Arreola is that he hasn't shown any desire to get himself into tip-top shape in the past. There isn't anyone on his resume who remotely comes close to what he will face against Klitschko - a big, strong, powerful puncher with endurance and a decent chin.

"Remember, Klitschko stood up to Lennox Lewis' shots. If Arreola gets caught with one of Klitschko's shots, he won't get up as easily as he did against Travis Walker. Klitschko will probably catch Arreola with one of those vicious rights and win by TKO."

Bert Sugar, noted boxing historian
Klitschko KO 5: "Klitschko will jab him to death and knock him out in five. No contest."

The experts predict Klitschko to win, 10-0. Come back to Boxing FanHouse on Friday when I'll give you mine.