© Tom Casino / Showtime Boxing
In a one-sided fight from the beginning, Celestino Caballero outclassed previously unbeaten Steve “The Canadian Kid” Molitor, registering a TKO just 52 seconds into fourth round to become the 122-pound IBF and WBA world champion Friday on Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation at Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario, Canada.
Molitor, from nearby Toronto, Canada, seemed lost from the very beginning. Caballero on the other hand wasted no time moving in on his opponent and throwing combination after combination. Forced into the ropes, Molitor was never able to find his rhythm.
Stephane Larouche, Molitor’s trainer, cried out in frustration between the third and fourth rounds, imploring Molitor to get it together: “This is not Steve Molitor tonight,” he screamed. “This is not you.”
In the fourth round, Caballero sent Molitor down with a right uppercut to the left side of the face. Molitor was able to beat the count but soon found himself up against the ropes.
Caballero charged forward once more, landing four consecutive shots before the glassy-eyed hometown hero fell.
Referee Luis Pabon halted the action at 52 seconds into the fourth round and declared Caballero the unified champion by TKO.
“Molitor was outmuscled and outclassed” said Steve Farhood, ShoBox analyst. “This was the first real fight of Molitor’s career and he failed miserably.”
Molitor knew he had let his hometown fans down. “I couldn’t get off tonight. He was the better man. I felt tight going in and I just want to apologize to my fans.”
Caballero knew he was in control the entire fight. “I saw the knockout coming,” he said. “I saw his legs so I worked hard to keep going and get it.” What’s next for him? Caballero voiced his opinion saying, “The most important thing now is to keep unifying. I call every champion to come and face me.”
Caballero of Colon , Panama , improved his record to 31-2 while Molitor drops to 28-1.
The 12-round world-title unification fight was the first ever to take place in Canada and the first on ShoBox. Orion Sports Management presented the historical scrap from Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario, Canada.
Nick Charles called the action from ringside with boxing historian Farhood serving as expert analyst. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
“ShoBox: The New Generation” will return on Dec. 5, 2008, when the hard-hitting South American welterweight champion Luis Carlos Abregu will face his toughest test yet against the much more experienced and established David Estrada.
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