Twitter: Eric Molina heading to Manchester, fight with Anthony Joshua imminent!

Please see above

 

Completely forgot Perez.. I'd even make a fat disinterested version a clear favorite over Molina.

 

What does it matter? It's a **** fight he'll get no credit for.

Whether he's top 15, top 35, top 55 doesn't change anything.

He's a fighter with a recent victory over Adamek, nothing more nothing less.

The defence isn't a credible one regardless of where he's ranked.

 

I actually have no problem with this, but I still see Joshua as a work in progress and the title is more a technicality than me seeing him as a "champion" at this stage. This defense is a credible title defense and in ways goes some way to Joshua earning his stripes in my eyes - I see him as a slight step up from Joshua.

I know others will disagree but Molina is no mug, he has potential to be Joshua's sternest test so far - a good half step from the level of the likes of Whyte/Breazeale up to Parker/Pulev etc.

It'll be a good gauge of his progress and also a common measure against Wilder, there is definite worth in this fight in lots of ways and don't be surprised if Joshua gets a bit tested in this one. Nothing against him if he does, and mad respect if he walks through him.

 

It's not credible and there's better opposition he should have tried making a fight with.

Molina is somewhere in the 15-30 area depending on how you view the Adamek win. And he's certainly in the top 5 opposition of Joshua so far.

But this fight is ****.

 

This year was pretty bad for Heavyweight boxing....best fight so far Wilder vs Spilzka

 

Parker/Takam*

 

I think you're over rating the Adamek win. Adamek had lost to guys like Szpilka and Glazkov, so at best Molina is on their level. Scott was robbed against Glazkov so if we are putting Molina on the level of Glazkov then Scott rates higher in terms of ability.

If Molina had beaten a prime Adamek that would be one thing but Adamek hadn't had a meaningful and clear win over a decent heavyweight in several years. The controversial Cunningham fight was over 3 years ago, the win over Chambers 4 years ago, this was an Adamek years past his best and who has looked shot for quite some time now.

I'd agree Molina probably ranks closer to 15 than 30 but I couldn't have him top 15, there are enough fighters around who could beat him to keep him out of the top 15. Molina is D level, he wasn't even good enough to compete with Arreola who was a gatekeeper.

 

Molina looked better in his later fights than he did against Arreola, to be fair - he started taking things a lot more seriously around 2015. Joseph Parker/Anthony Joshua of 2012 were get destroyed by Parker/Joshua of 2016, for example.

I agree, Molina is a disappointment vs the hype BUT the talk up they were doing was pretty intense for where he was - I'd have loved it, but if that talk wasn't had this IS the level I would have expected in the first place.

 

Povetkin-Stiverne is overlooked also. If Povetkin still has the same stamina and if Stiverne shows up around 235-240 lbs, It could be a very entertaining fight.

 

I'd have rather seen him take on Ortiz but not sure it could have been made due to him holding that silly WBA trinket.

 

He is a **** fight.

For level is about right. certainly not a world class victory.

I'm just pointing out that a lot of men listed above him don't have a victory as good as even a shot adamek.z

Same with Malik Scott who's about that level, he has a win over a shot Thompson. That's about the only thing keeping him relevant.

At this "D level of HW" were talking about, someone is only one win away from relevance.

Most everyone has Duahapas in their top ten now. Yet when Wilder fought him he was seen as a ridiculous cherry pick.

The landscape changes so easily.

15-30 is about right. Fringe level.

Better than fighting Price. Top 5 of his win list. Don't think there's anything else positive.

 

I think this is more about what has happened. Parker vs Ruiz would be another candidate if that's made this year

 

Unification > Mandatory

 

I think it only counts as a unification bout if you're the governing bodies top ranked world champion.

I don't think you can unify an interim title with a 'real' one.