LOS ANGELES — Chris Arreola had no problem shedding a few extra pounds for this fight.

Arreola weighed in at a surprisingly slim 251 pounds today for his WBC heavyweight championship bout against Vitali Klitschko, but only after briefly fooling the crowd gathered in anticipation of his first title shot.

Arreola (27-0, 24 KOs) poked fun at his reputation for a paunchy physique when he mounted the scale outside Staples Center with his shirt on, registering at 277 pounds. Arreola then removed his shirt to reveal a large weight vest, taking it off to reveal a considerably fitter build than he's showed in his past few fights.

Although both fighters live in Southern California, Arreola was the favorite of a small but vocal crowd hoping he'll become the first Mexican-American heavyweight champion.

"You guys are going to be proud of heavyweights for once," Arreola told the crowd. "We're going to put on a show, and it's going to be great. It's not going to be just a wildman, caveman type of fight."

Arreola hasn't weighed in below 254 pounds for a fight in 15 months, and his belly has been used against him to suggest he wasn't serious about training. When he signed for a title shot, Arreola hired a strength and conditioning coach and rededicated himself to transforming his body.

Though he still isn't exactly slim, trainer Henry Rodriguez believes the power-punching East Los Angeles native is in the best physical shape of his career. Arreola has gone the distance just once in his 27 pro fights, also winning two disqualifications.

Klitschko (37-2, 36 KOs), who is favored to defend his belt in Saturday's fight, was joined on the podium by his younger brother, Wladimir, the IBF and WBO champion. Vitali Klitschko weighed in at 252 pounds — the heaviest weight of the Ukrainian champion's career by 2 pounds — with a more sculpted build.

The 38-year-old Klitschko is headed into his third bout back from an injury absence of nearly four years. He hasn't lost since his title fight with Lennox Lewis was stopped because of a cut despite Klitschko's lead on the scorecards in June 2003 at Staples Center.