Boxing News Boxing News
One of the hardest-hitting prospects in the lightweight division will make his main event debut on Saturday, November 28 in an NABF Championship bout in the Grand Ballroom of the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California.
Undefeated knockout artist John Molina, Jr. (18-0, 14 KO), of nearby Covina, CA, will battle Mexico’s Martin Honorio (26-4-1, 14 KO) in the scheduled 10-round headliner of the ShoBox: The New Generation telecast on Showtime.
The Molina-Honorio NABF Lightweight Championship bout is the featured fight on a rising star-studded, boxing card presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions.
The 26-year old Molina, along with renowned trainer Joe Goossen, has been an unstoppable force in 2009. None of his four opponents have made it to the fourth round.
Molina made his Goossen Tutor debut back on February 6 by knocking out Joshua Allotey in the third round on ShoBox: The New Generation in a bout underneath the Andre Ward-Henry Buchanan main event in Lemoore, CA.
He followed up that sensational performance by posting a second-round stoppage of Carlos Vinan on the March 27 Eddie Chambers-Samuel Peter undercard at LA’s Staples Center.
On May 16, Molina appeared on ShoBox again, this time against Frankie Archuleta on the Andre Ward-Edison Miranda undercard in Oakland, CA, and registered another second-round TKO.
Most recently, Molina was featured back at the Staples Center on the Chris Arreola-Vitali Klitschko undercard and took out Efren Hinojosa – who recently went eight rounds in a non-title bout against current IBF Super Featherweight Champion Robert Guerrero – in a mere 34 seconds with a vicious body shot.
And on November 28, Molina gets his turn at top billing against 29-year old Mexican warrior, Honorio, who has stopped his last two opponents – Frankie Archuleta and Ricardo Medina – in five rounds following a loss at the hands of Guerrero back in a November, 2007 challenge for Guerrero’s IBF Featherweight crown.
“It’s my first main event headlining with added significance of being televised on Showtime and for the NABF Championship, so this is really big for me,” said Molina. “I’m working hard. I’m gonna dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s to be 110 percent prepared for this fight come November 28.
“As an opponent he is a typical Mexican style of fighter,” Molina, describing Honorio, observed. “He’s kind of rangy like myself. He has a ton of experience, has been in there with the best and has beaten some of the guys I consider to be the best counterpunchers in the game. I expect an explosive fight and I expect to come out victorious, as I’ve worked too hard and too long to get to where I am today to let anyone stand in the way of my dream of being a world champion.”
Four other members of the Goossen Tutor stable are slated for action underneath the Molina-Honorio title bout, including undefeated Rico Ramos in the opening televised bout; recent addition Charles “Killa” Whitaker; and 2008 U.S. Olympians Shawn Estrada and Javier Molina.
Ramos (13-0, 8 KO), who hails from Los Angeles, puts his perfect record on the line against the very tough Alejandro Perez (14-1-1, 9 KO), of Salinas, CA, in a scheduled eight-round super bantamweight tilt. Whitaker (34-12-2, 22 KO), a native of George Town in the Cayman Islands, will be featured in a junior middleweight contest.
Estrada (6-0, 6 KO) , from East LA, will be after his seventh straight win in a four-round super middleweight bout. Molina (2-0, 2 KO), a welterweight from Norwalk, CA, has a four-rounder on tap.
“John Molina is one of the most exciting fighters in the sport today. If he continues to improve and show that he can handle the big boys of the division, there will be no stopping his popularity. He has it all: looks, wit and one-shot knockout power,” promoter Dan Goossen said. “He hits like a heavyweight in a lightweight body.
“This will be the first major test for Rico Ramos also. He wins this fight, he’ll be moving up the ranks in the super bantamweight division and believe me the sport will take notice.”
It promises to be a tremendous night of boxing entertainment with “Killa” Whitaker in action for the first time since signing with us,” Goossen continued. “He is a real crowd-pleaser and has knocked out his last five opponents. Fans in attendance will also get to see 2008 Olympians Shawn Estrada and Javier Molina take the next step in their young careers.”
Tickets priced at $65 Ringside, $50 VIP and $35 General Admission are available at the Pechanga Box Office from 10am to 10pm or by calling 1-877-2WIN and press 2. Doors open at 5:00 PM. First Bout is at 6:00 PM.
