By Daniele D’Alessio: In a post-fight interview with Kugan Cassius, Alen Babic (9-0, 9 KOs) voiced how he has a “granite chin” after defeating Eric Molina (28-8, 20 KOs).
He explained to iFL TV that he had “hundreds of fights” as an amateur and “millions of sparring” sessions with high-quality opposition like Dillian Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) and Joe Joyce (13-0, 12 KOs) but has never been down or seriously hurt.
Babic acknowledged how Molina caught him with some good shots yet described them as “mellow” and not enough to knock him out.
Last night’s performance was another wild and destructive display where Babic threw the kitchen sink from the opening bell. He caught Molina with a wonderful overhand right in the first 10 seconds, which sent the American crashing to the ground and gave a glimpse into what would eventually unfold.
Molina showed great heart to get up and fire some right hands of his own, which seemed to land on the chin of Babic. However, none had any significant effect on halting or stunning the Croatian.
In the second round, Babic continued his unorthodox and relentless pressure, knocking Molina down three more times until the referee stopped the contest.
Despite being overmatched from the opening bell, Molina did show grit and determination to stay in as long as he did. He is undoubtedly way past his best, but this is by far the best name that Babic has on his resume.
With twenty previous KOs, Molina does have knockout power and the ability to land devastating shots. So Babic did demonstrate a strong chin and durability to get through the fight without being dropped.
The question is, will Babic be able to do the same against higher-quality opposition?
Since arriving on the scene, the Croatian has been incredibly fun to watch. His wide hooks and come forward style have worked so far. However, as the opponents get better, will he be able to leave his chin in the air and throw caution to the wind?
There is speculation about a potential fight with Dave Allen (19-5-2, 16 KOs), who also has a good chin. Still, if it comes down to fire against fire, Babic may be the favorite due to the sheer volume of punches he throws.
In any case, Babic has been a fantastic addition to mainstream boxing, and only time will tell how successful he will be. One thing is for sure though, if he wins, loses, or draws, you will be entertained.
