12/10/2016 Terence Crawford vs. John Molina, Jr.

Date: Saturday, December 10, 2016

WBO/WBC JR. WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location: CenturyLink Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Promoter: Top Rank / Bob Arum

Supervisor: John Duggan, Esq.

Referee: Mark Nelson

Judges:  Levi Martinez (70-60); David Sutherland (70-63); Robert Hecko (70-63)

Results:  The WBO/WBC Jr. Welterweight Champion Terence Crawford retained the titles against John Molina, Jr. by KO in round eight.

TV: USA HBO

By Tracy Morin at ringside
Photos: Boxing Bob Newman –

In a fierce and bloody war, 9:1 underdog John Molina Jr. (28-6, 23 KOs) outslugged former WBO junior welterweight world champion Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KOs) over twelve rounds on Saturday night at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY.

Even in a mostly feeling-out first round, each fighter scored a smattering of clean power punches to the head and body, setting the stage for an action-packed, back-and-forth affair. But from the opening bell of the second, tentativeness dissipated as they started to trade with little concern for defense, Provodnikov perennially pressing forward and Molina unafraid to engage.

Molina tried to work his jab in the fourth while continuing a brutal body attack, and an accidental headbutt opened a Provodnikov cut as the punches on both sides started to land with more conviction–underlined when both fighters smiled at each other at the end of round five and traded until the bell. 

In round six, Molina’s jab helped quelled his opponent’s attack, but Provodnikov landed a stumble-inducing right-left to Molina near the end of the round. Still, Molina gamely returned fire and wisely started to tie up on the ropes and work at a jabbing distance. Provodnikov’s left hooks were also finding their mark; with action heating up, the end of the seventh saw blows traded post-bell.

Provodnikov, bleeding freely by the eighth, refused to step backward and started eating uppercuts in the ninth while at times swinging wildly as Molina continued to work his jab (though he too ate his share of power shots while pressed against the ropes).

The pace slowed significantly in the tenth as Provodnikov attempted some head movement to avoid the jab–and as both perhaps steeled themselves for the championship rounds. With fewer jabs from Molina, Provodnikov started to come on in the eleventh, even uncharacteristically bouncing and moving laterally.

In the final round, both came out firing to close a competitive fight, each willing to give and take for the advantage. The judges were in agreement, however, that Molina had taken the victory, handing in scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 117-111.

“This is the fight we needed. I felt his punching power and he kept coming forward,” Molina said afterward. “I was in great shape. I knew I won that fight. I stuck to the game plan.”

“The decision was right. Molina won the fight; he was better tonight,” Provodnikov admitted. “We expected he would box and move. It wasn’t my night tonight. It just didn’t go for me today. There’s no excuses. I lost the fight tonight. Maybe it was motivation or something else. I’m sorry if I disappointed.”

www.fightnews.com/Boxing/upset-molina-outslugs-provodnikov-341780

Photos: Amanda Westcott/Showtime –

Former WBO jr welterweight champion Ruslan “The Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KOs) and John “The Gladiator” Molina (28-6, 23 KOs), who will compete on this Saturday’s Showtime tripleheader, participated in the final press conference Thursday at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

Ruslan Provodnikov: “Words are not so much associated with explaining this because anybody can talk and anybody can say words. I think the fans or the people have to see how my fights have been and the way that I’ve fought those fights. For me to say right now that I’m going to ‘die in the ring,’ they’re words right now. The fight will show, then the fans will have an understanding in their mind of was I just saying that or is that really the way it is. The actions show, not the words.”

John Molina Jr: “I believe in my heart of hearts the fans are going to get a treat with Ruslan Provodnikov coming forward, not wanting to take a backward step with myself coming forward not wanting to take a backward step. We’re both going to try and go in there and pose our will on each other and you’re not going to see a boring fight. It won’t be Dancing With The Stars, it’s going to be a fight.” 

In the co-feature, unbeaten former 154-pound world champion and 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius Andrade (22-0, 15 KOs) goes against Willie Nelson (25-2-1, 15 KOs) in a 12-round WBC super welterweight title elimination bout.

Demetrius Andrade: “I’m just going in and do my thing, you know, I’m the type of person with character. I’ve been in the ring for many years through the amateur program and fought 300-400 times, against everybody in the whole world. So, there’s not nothing I haven’t seen or fought. A tall guy like Willie Nelson with no legs or upper body, I’m going to push him to the limit. That’s pretty much the plan. I’m going in and it’s knockout season for me.”

Willie Nelson: “It’s what happens all the time. I’m always the underdog. It’s OK and I try not to worry about it much. I’m not one to predict the fights; about what can and can’t happen, but it’s going to be an interesting fight. We know each other’s background and we have sparred before at the U.S. Training Camp.”

The telecast will begin with a 12-rounder for the vacant WBC lightweight world championship between undefeated #1 ranked Dejan Zlaticanin (17-0, 10 KOs) and Franklin Mamani (21-2-1, 12 KOs).

Dejan Zlaticanin: “I’ve prepared for this hard fight for a long time because they changed opponents and it’s hard to be prepared for that. But I have waited for this opportunity for a long time. This is the most important fight of my life, and I am going to win this fight. I don’t like to talk too much. I will talk in the ring and I promise I will knock out Franklin Mamani.”

Franklin Mamani: “Zlaticanin is an aggressive, strong and talented fighter. It will be an honor to trade leather with him inside the ring and be able to win the WBC lightweight championship of the world against the number one contender in my division.”

www.fightnews.com/Boxing/provodnikov-molina-final-press-conference-341414/nggallery/page/1

 Credito: Foto de vk.com/boxnews.com.ua