Jorge Linares
On March 8, 2014, Arakawa came back to the ring to face Japan-based Venezuelan Jorge Linares in a ten-round WBC title eliminator, with a mandatory shot against Omar Figueroa on the line. It was featured on the undercard of the fight between Saúl Álvarez and Alfredo Angulo at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Figueroa was to fight in the same event, but a wrist injury forced him to postpone it. That is why Arakawa–Linares was carried live on Showtime pay-per-view. Arakawa was again fighting out of the red corner, but lost in a unanimous decision.