Andrei Arlovski counting on striking to help him beat Fedor

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Andrei Arlovski will attempt to avoid joining former Ultimate Fighting Championships heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia in getting destroyed by Fedor Emelianenko, considered by many mixed martial arts enthusiasts as the most gifted MMA fighter in the world.

During the summer, Sylvia didn’t last 40 seconds before Russia’s Fedor pummeled him and made him tap.

Now, Arlovski, who owned UFC’s heavyweight belt from February 2005 to April 2006 -- he lost to Sylvia twice in 2006 -- is relying on his work with boxing trainer Freddie Roach (Manny Pacquiao’s trainer) to help his striking technique. Arlovski aspires to box professionally in the near future.

In a video discussion I had with him Wednesday at the news conference for Affliction’s ‘Day of Reckoning’ card Jan. 24 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Arlovski talked about the daunting challenge of taking on Fedor (see video above).

-- Lance Pugmire