By Jim Dower: James Kirkland dodged a bullet tonight in getting pretty much dominated most of the fight by Carlos Molina but then knocking him down in the 10th round and winning by a disqualification when Molina’s corner stepping into the ring thinking the round was over at the Reliant Arena in Houston, Texas.
James Kirkland
Kirkland needs to take Molina out early to avoid problems
By Jim Dower: The sooner junior middleweight contender James Kirkland (30-1, 27 KO’s) gets Carlos Molina (19-4-2, 6 KO’s) out of there tonight in their 10 round bout the better. Kirkland, 28, and Molina square off at the Reliant Center in Houston, Texas, on the undercard of the Erik Morales vs Danny Garcia card. Kirkland is coming off of the biggest win of his career in a 6th round TKO win over #1 WBC 154 pound contender Alfredo Angulo last November.
Kirkland faces Molina in WBC semi-final eliminator on Saturday
By Jim Dower: James Kirkland (30-1, 27 KO’s) has to pray his chin holds out on him this Saturday night in his semi-final WBC junior middleweight eliminator bout against Carlos Molina (19-4-2, 6 KO’s) at the Reliant Arena in Houston, Texas. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds, but it might not need to go the full distance if the recently improved Kirkland can get to Molina early with his nonstop assault.
Kirkland vs. Molina this Saturday
By Jim Dower: Junior middleweight contender James Kirkland (30-1, 27 KO’s) will be looking to put in another impressive performance when he faces the red-hot Carlos Molina (19-4-2, 6 KO’s) this Saturday night at the Reliant Arena in Houston, Texas. Kirkland, 28, will be coming into the fight with a big power advantage over Molina. However, it might not matter that Kirkland has the better power if his weak chin fails him again like it did last year when he was blown out by the quick but light hitting Nobuhiro Ishida last April.
Morales-Garcia and Kirkland-Molina this Saturday night
By Jim Dower: This Saturday night WBC light weight champion Erik Morales (52-7, 36 KO’s) defends his title against undefeated challenger Danny Garcia (22-0, 14 KO’s) in an HBO televised fight from the Reliant Arena, in Houston, Texas. In addition to this fight, James Kirkland (30-1, 27 KO’s) will be fighting Carlos Molina (19-4-2, 6 KO’s) in a strange semi-final WBC eliminator junior middleweight bout with the winner facing undefeated Vanes Martirosyan in the final World Boxing Council eliminator fight.
Erik Morales – Danny Garcia one week away; Kirkland-Molina also on card
By Allan Fox: Next week on Saturday, March 24th, 35-year-old WBC light welterweight champion Erik Morales (52-7, 36 KO’s) makes his long awaited first and likely his only title defense against unbeaten #4 WBC contender Danny Garcia (22-0, 14 KO’s) at the Reliant Arena, in Houston, Texas. Morales didn’t impress in winning the World Boxing Council title last September in defeating 22-year-old Pablo Cesar Cano by a 10th round stoppage.
Kirkland vs. Molina on 3/24: James in a big test
By Allan Fox: Junior middleweight contender James Kirkland (30-1, 27 KO’s) takes an important step towards an eventual world title on March 24th in a 10 round scheduled fight against contender Carlos Molina (19-4-2, 6 KO’s) in a fight on the undercard of the Erik Morales vs. Danny Garcia card at the Reliant Arena, in Houston, Texas.
Martirosyan could fight Kirkland-Molina winner or Bundradge next
(Photo credit: Naoka Fakuda) By Dan Ambrose: Undefeated #1 WBC ranked junior middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan (32-0, 20 KO’s) could finally be getting a big fight after seven years of beating 2nd and 3rd tier opposition to build up a hugely inflated record of 32-0.
The 25-year-old Martirosyan has a good chance of either facing the winner of the March 24th clash between James Kirkland (30-1, 27 KO’s) vs. Carlos Molina (19-4-2, 6 KO’s) or take on IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelius Bundradge (31-4, 18 KO’s).
Saul Alvarez wants Cotto or Kirkland next
By Chris Williams: Number #1 on his Christmas wish list for 2012 was a fight against unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. next for WBC junior middleweight champion Saul Alvarez (39-0-1, 29 KO’s), but now that Mayweather is heading for jail for 90 days starting on January 6th, Alvarez has downsized his dreams a little.
Kirkland-Molina, Morales-Garcia card postponed due to Morales’ surgery; Feb or March possible as new fight date
By Dan Ambrose: The January 28th fight card headlined by WBC light welterweight champion Erik Morales vs. Danny Garcia has now been officially shelved, according to ESPN. It was already announced that the Morales-Garcia fight had been canceled due to the 35-year-old Morales’ recent gallbladder surgery.