Molina trains for knockout punch against Joshua
Don’t miss any action.
World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua fights Eric Molina on tomorrow, but all the talk this week has been about who the Briton could fight next.
Molina added spice to the fight by telling Joshua that Wilder is the “best heavyweight in the world right now”. “So I make sure I’m not complacent”, he told Boxing News. I know exactly what I’ve got to do, mentally, physically, to go there and perform. I’m not focusing on that though.
“We want to stage it at Wembley Stadium”, Boente said.
Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker seem to be headed towards their own collision cause, and there will be no need for out-of-the-ring antics from either to hype such a match-up should they both come through with gold stars on Saturday. It’s natural that Anthony has been taking aim at Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and Wladimir Klitschko.
Haye has also been quoted in the national press airing his views on Saturday’s fight, saying he can see 34-year-old Molina (25-3, 19 KOs) potentially being knocked out in the first round by Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs).
Joshua is now 17-0 with all 17 wins via knockout. “When opportunity presents itself you have to grab it with two hands”.
“The pressure is on him and is he strong enough to deal with it?” asked Molina.
“I’ve been ordered the WBA heavyweight title fight”. Do I fight someone like [David] Price?
Joshua, 27, said: “I still have Molina in front of me”. “There is no heavyweight in the world that has bounced back like I have”, said Molina. “I think it’s a ideal date”. It makes no difference, the fight will inevitably end this way by about round five. If he can score a knockout over Joshua, he’ll make a bundle of cash in the rematch.
He had been close to agreeing a bout with Klitschko on Saturday but the Ukrainian picked up a “minor injury”. “I think he’s hitting that time of his career where he’s going to have to start facing situations he hasn’t faced before”. “We’ll probably have some words”, Joshua mused.
Molina turned professional in 2007, and has carved out a reputation for being a big hitter.
The fight with Klitschko has finally been sanctioned by the WBA for next year, but he said he will not be looking beyond Molina. Joshua is at this point, under intense scrutiny with too much expected of him, far earlier than expected and much earlier than is healthy. He’s had notable wins and he’s tough.