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Lucas Matthysse stops John Molina in the 11th round of a thriller

Fighters Network
26
Apr
Jphn Molina (R) congratulates Lucas Matthysse following their fight on April 26, 2014. Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images.

John Molina (R) congratulates Lucas Matthysse following their fight on April 26, 2014. Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images.

Lucas Matthysse stopped John Molina 22 seconds into the 11th round of a thrilling junior welterweight bout on the Keith Thurman-Julio Diaz card Saturday in Carson, Calif.

Matthysse (35-3, 33 knockouts) went down twice and suffered a cut early in the fight but took firm control midway through and battered Molina to the canvas two times, once in the 10th and again in the final round.

Referee Pat Russell didn’t bother counting after the second knockdown because Molina (27-3, 22 KOs) obviously could take no more punishment.

Molina, known as a big puncher, stunned Matthysse with a big right in the first round and put the Argentine down with it in the second and fifth rounds. At that point, Matthysse was in a much tougher fight than many expected.



However, Matthysse, more active and more accurate, began to take control in the sixth and gradually wore Molina down by consistently landing hard shots.

Molina went down both times  under a barrage of punches for which he had no answer.

Matthysse was coming off a unanimous-decision loss to RING champion Danny Garcia in September.

A full report will follow shortly.

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