Jamal James and Javier Molina to square off on FS1

Jan

If Jamal James and Javier Molina want to make a move in the welterweight division, it is now more than ever.

The two welterweights square off on Jan. 19 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. The 10-round bout will top an FS1 (formerly FOX Sports 1) telecast, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. PT.

In his last bout on Sept. 18, James (18-0, 9 knockouts) survived a fourth round knockdown to defeat Juan Carlos Abreu by 10-round unanimous decision.

The 2009 National Golden Gloves and National PAL runner-up also holds wins over fringe contenders Mohammed Kayongo and Wayne Martell.

The Minneapolis, Minn. resident will have a significant five-inch height advantage over Molina, himself an amateur standout.

Molina (17-1, 8 KOs), who represented the United States in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, will fight before a partisan crowd on Jan. 19. Molina resides in nearby Norwalk.

The 26-year-old Molina won his first nine bouts in a row before suffering his first pro loss to fringe contender Artemio Reyes in Oct. of 2011.

Molina, who has won his last eight consecutive bouts, stopped Lenwood Dozier after the seventh round on Oct. 13.

Also on the Club Nokia card, unbeaten light heavyweight David Benavidez will fight Kevin Cobbs in an eight-round bout.

The 19-year-old Benavidez (11-0, 10 KOs) scored an impressive first round stoppage win over Felipe Romero on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Cobbs (10-1, 4 KOs), who has won his last four straight, has yet to fight past the fourth round.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for RingTV since RingTV since Oct. of 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper, Boxingscene.com, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing.