Anthony Joshua vs. Éric Molina

Anthony Joshua vs. Éric Molina was a heavyweight professional boxing match contested between undefeated IBF champion Anthony Joshua, and the IBF's number 15 ranked contender and former world title challenger, Éric Molina. The bout took place on 10 December 2016 at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. Joshua defeated Molina, retaining his heavyweight title via third-round technical knockout (TKO).

Anthony Joshua vs. Éric Molina
Date10 December 2016
VenueManchester Arena, Manchester, England
Title(s) on the lineIBF heavyweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer Anthony Joshua Éric Molina
Nickname AJ Drummer Boy
Hometown Watford, Hertfordshire, England Raymondville, Texas, US
Pre-fight record 17–0 (17 KOs) 25–3 (19 KOs)
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 249 lb (113 kg) 237 lb (108 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition IBF heavyweight champion IBF No. 15 ranked heavyweight
Result
Joshua defeated Molina in the third-round by TKO

Background

Following Joshua's win over Dominic Breazeale on 25 June, a seventh-round technical knockout (TKO) to retain his IBF heavyweight title, the IBF ordered Joshua to fight undefeated mandatory challenger, Joseph Parker, by 9 January 2017.[1] Following unified heavyweight champion Tyson Fury's withdrawal from a scheduled rematch with Wladimir Klitschko, Hearn revealed on Twitter in late September that he had contacted team Klitschko for a potential fight.[2] On 16 October it was reported that a deal with Klitschko was almost finalised, with the WBA and WBO titles potentially being on the line after Fury vacated the titles days earlier.[3] A week later, it was reported that Klitschko had sustained an injury in training, scuttling plans of a potential fight.[4] After Joseph Parker had agreed to fight Andy Ruiz Jr for the vacant WBO title, relinquishing his IBF mandatory position,[5] the three names in the mix for Joshua's opponent were Éric Molina, David Price and Bryant Jennings.[6] In November, it was officially announced that Joshua would make the second defence of his title against the IBF's number 15 ranked contender and former world title challenger, Éric Molina,[7] with the fight to be televised live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and Showtime in the US, on 10 December at the Manchester Arena.[8]

The Fight

The opener saw little action, with the highlight being a left hook from Joshua in the final seconds of a round which the champion comfortably won on the scorecards. The second round saw much of the same; Molina cautiously backing up as Joshua stalked the American around the ring, with the highlight again coming from the champion–a left uppercut that momentarily stunned Molina. Joshua began the third round with more intensity, throwing combination punches as Molina continued to remain on the back foot. At the halfway point, Joshua landed a powerful straight right hand to drop Molina to the canvas. The challenger beat the referee's count of ten, only for Joshua to pounce on the American with a flurry of punches culminating in a left hook to force the referee to call a halt to the fight.[9] Following Joshua's win, promoter Eddie Hearn brought Wladimir Klitschko into the ring to announce Klitschko as Joshua's next opponent, with the fight scheduled for 29 April 2017 at the Wembley Stadium in London.[10]

Fight card
Weight Class vs. Method Round Time Notes
Heavyweight Anthony Joshua (c) def. Éric Molina TKO 3/12 2:02 Note 1
Heavyweight Dillian Whyte def. Dereck Chisora SD 12
Lightweight Katie Taylor def. Viviane Obenauf PTS 6
Featherweight Scott Quigg def. Jose Cayetano TKO 9/12 1:23 Note 2
Super-flyweight Khalid Yafai def. Luis Concepción UD 12 Note 3
Super-middleweight Callum Smith (c) def. Luke Blackledge TKO 10/12 2:34 Note 4
Light-heavyweight Frank Buglioni def. Hosea Burton (c) TKO 12/12 1:56 Note 5
Heavyweight Luis Ortiz def. Dave Allen TKO 7/8 2:59
Welterweight Conor Benn def. Steven Blackhouse TKO 1/4 1:06
Middleweight Marcus Morrison def. Harry Matthews PTS 6

^Note 1 For IBF heavyweight title
^Note 2 For vacant WBA International featherweight title
^Note 3 For vacant WBA super-flyweight title
^Note 4 For British super-middleweight title
^Note 5 For British light-heavyweight title

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See also

References
  1. "Anthony Joshua Must Face Joseph Parker By January 9, Says IBF". BoxingScene.com. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  2. Doran, Niall Patrick (24 September 2016). "Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko Fight In Play After Fury Withdrawal". www.boxingnewsandviews.com. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  3. "Anthony Joshua v Wladimir Klitschko: Heavyweights 'agree to fight'". BBC Sport. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  4. "Anthony Joshua will not fight Wladimir Klitschko in 2016 but spring bout expected". BBC Sport. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  5. Johnstone, Duncan (21 October 2016). "WBO give green light to Joseph Parker fighting Andy Ruiz for heavyweight title in New Zealand". Stuff. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  6. Abramson, Mitch (26 October 2016). "Showtime to air Joshua bout Dec. 10". The Ring. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  7. "IBF Ratings – Heavyweight, November 2016". www.ibf-usba-boxing.com. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  8. Rafael, Dan (1 November 2016). "Joshua to defend heavyweight belt vs. Molina". ESPN.com. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  9. Dielhenn, James (11 December 2016). "Joshua vs Molina: Anthony Joshua knocks out Eric Molina to confirm Wladimir Klitschko fight". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  10. "Boxing: Anthony Joshua beats Eric Molina to retain world title, Klitschko bout announced". NZ Herald. 11 December 2016. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
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