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04/07/2008 Archived Entry: "Molitor Dominates Again in IBF Jr. Featherweight Title Defense"
Molitor Dominates Again in IBF Jr. Featherweight Title Defense
by Cliff Endicott at ringside
Not long ago, Steve Molitor was only known to Canada's boxing hardcore. His academic performance in dominating #1 contender Fernando Beltran at Casino Rama last night made it clear that it is no longer the case.
In defending his IBF Jr. Featherweight title for the fourth straight time at the casino just outside of Orillia Ontario, Molitor continued to impress. He entered the ring wearing Canada's red and white to a deafening, several minute standing ovation from the screaming capacity crowd. In Thursday's press conference both Molitor and Beltran had guaranteed a win, with Steve saying that Beltran clearly came to give it his best, “....but at the end of the night he'll be a loser, just like the rest of them.”
From my position I could hear the voice of Canadian boxing, TSN's Russ Anber, telling the television viewers that Molitor is a “warrior, a throw-back type of fighter.” He is surely that. While known primarily for his elusiveness and effective counterpunching, the Mississauga-based Molitor has also never been afraid to mix it up, and that would explain why his popularity has grown by such leaps and bounds in his brief tenure as IBF world champ.
His fourth title defense in 8 months began as expected, both fighters feeling each other out, but right from the outset Molitor was the only one landing clean punches with any regularity – he was slipping and blocking most of Beltran's work all night. After a couple of close rounds (though I had Molitor winning them all), by the fourth Steve could barely miss Beltran with anything he threw. He was countering beautifully (Beltran made it easier by the relentlessness and recklessness of his pursuit, and his high punch output), and blocking almost everything coming his way.
Molitor isn't known for heavy hands and rarely had Beltran in any trouble, but he kept picking him apart with clean combinations. Beltran was clearly very tough and certainly game, but it didn't take long for him to begin to be frustrated by his inability to catch Molitor. His bodywork began to flirt more and more with Steve's beltline, and he was blatantly rabbit-punching in the clinches.
The eighth round was the only round I scored in Beltran's favour, as Molitor took the first couple of minutes of the round off. He came back over the last minute of the round with enough good work to make it close, but I still found this single round for Beltran. Steve picked it back up in the ninth with more beautiful combinations, and Beltran finally had a point deducted for low blows. The clinic went on for the championship rounds – Molitor clearly knew he had it in the bag and continued to pick Beltran apart without subjecting himself to any real danger.
The final scores were 120-107, 120-107 and 119-108. My card matched the final judge, at 119-108.
In Steve Molitor's four title defenses, which have amounted to a total of 45 rounds of fighting, it can be argued that Molitor has lost only 4 of those rounds. Those defenses have been over two #1 rated contenders (Beltran and Taklani Ndlovu) and two tough journeymen (3K Battery and Ricardo Castillo). His fights have become major events at Casino Rama and on TSN (Canada's Sports Network), and his popularity continues to grow. I've heard Steve speak of possible unification bouts with the WBA and WBC champs, and where a year ago I didn't think he was ready for them I now I believe he is. He has looked that good in this last year.
Go get 'em Steve – it couldn't be more obvious you will have a whole country lustily rooting for you.
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In the one undercard bout worth mentioning, Sudbury Ontario's Phil Boudreault dominated Eduardo Calderon for a 4 round decision. In the first four rounder of the night, Niagara Fall's Scotty Paul was awarded a ridiculous 4 round decision over Mexico's Josue Sosas, by scores of 40-36, 40-36 and 40-35, in a fight that this reporter thought Sosas won every round. And speaking of ridiculous, the “Steel Pole” Greg Keilsa won a 3rd round technical knockout over Kenny Lemos of Denver. The crowd roundly booed the ref's decision to stop the fight, as Lemos wasn't badly hurt, but given his conditioning (which was Butterbean-like, at 274 and ¾ pounds), his complete exhaustion and his total ineffectiveness through three rounds, the ref likely saved him from a terrible and possibly damaging beating at the hands of the extremely strong and well conditioned Keilas.
