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Lem’s latest: Carlos Molina eyes Mayweather, Cotto, Alvarez-Lara winner

Fighters Network
01
Jul

Carlos Molina wants a shot at either Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto or the winner of the upcoming junior middleweight bout between Saul Alvarez and Erislandy Lara, should he successfully defend his IBF 154-pound belt against ex-titleholder Cornelius Bundrage.

"Mayweather is number one. I want that fight before he retires and I know that he has, like, three more fights left. I would like the opportunity to have that one against Mayweather," said Molina during a Monday interview with RingTV.com.

"Number two, Miguel Cotto. I know that's a fight that I want and maybe that's a fight that still is a possibility. Number three, I would like the winner of 'Canelo'-Lara. Either Canelo or the rematch with Lara. I'm sure that would be a good fight with Lara if that could happen or with Canelo. Either way."

Mayweather could fight a Sept. 13 rematch with Marcos Maidana, over whom he won a welterweight majority decision in May. On July 12, Alvarez is scheduled to face Lara, a southpaw who battled Molina to a draw in March 2011.



Cotto was last in action on June 7, winning his fourth belt over as many weight divisions by 10th-round stoppage to dethrone Sergio Martinez as RING and WBC middleweight champion.

 

TERENCE CRAWFORD-YURIORKIS GAMBOA DRAWS LARGER VIEWERSHIP

Terence Crawford's ninth round stoppage of Yuriorkis Gamboa on Saturday in defense of his WBO lightweight title before 10,943 at CenturyLink Center in his native Omaha, Neb., scored an average audience of 1,208,000 viewers and a peak viewership of 1,286,000, according to Nielsen Media Research on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old Crawford (24-0, 17 knockouts) defeated Gamboa (23-1, 16 KOs) in the main event of a card on which middleweight Matt Korobov scored two knockdowns during a unanimous decision over Jose Uzcategui. Korobov-Uzcategui registered 929,000 viewers and peaked with 1,066,000.

 

ANTHONY JOSHUA TO TEST HIS CHIN VS. MATT SKELTON?

British Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua expects his most difficult challenge on July 12 against journeyman Matt Skelton at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England, according to a release by Matchroom Sport.

"People are asking 'What's his chin like?' Well, I'm not going to stick it out there to be hit by Skelton so people can find out. Every fight is a dangerous fight at heavyweight and the sensible thing is not to get hit," said Joshua, 24, who is 6-0 with as many knockouts.

"Carl Froch said that the greatest chin is the one that doesn't get hit and he's right. At the minute, it's about evading shots and working my way up the rankings. I am so far away from where I want to be that it's hit and not get hit, hands up and chin down, slipping shots and get my opponent out of there as soon as possible."

Joshua-Skelton will be on a card featuring light heavyweights-turned-cruiserweights as Tony Bellew meets Julio Cesar Dos Santos and Nathan Cleverly faces Alejandro Valori.

"Mike Tyson knocked out 12 of his first 16 opponents in the first round. People were saying in his early days that he needed more rounds and he had to step up," said Joshua. "Obviously, there will be questions on the way and as long as I come up with the answers, then that's all that matters," said Joshua.

"Matt is my toughest test in the pros; there's no doubt about that. I hope he's training hard so that we can put on a good show in Liverpool. It's my first fight in the city and it's on a great bill, so I'm looking forward to a really big night and looking to put in a performance worthy of the stage."

The 47-year-old Skelton (28-8, 23 KOs) has lost two straight, falling to David Price by second round knockout in November 2012 and John McDermott by unanimous decision in his last fight in March of 2013.

"I am sure he's going to come to make a statement and he's certainly a different type of challenge. He'll be sitting on my chest, putting pressure on me and throwing shots and testing my chin," said Joshua.

"So I have had some new things to work on in the gym and that's what it is all about for me. Working on the inside, working on my defense and my counters and looking to keep it long and using the double jab."

 

ISAAC CHILEMBA RETURNS ON SERGEY KOVALEV-BLAKE CAPARELLO CARD

Light heavyweight Isaac Chilemba (22-2-2, 9 KOs) will pursue his third straight win against Cory Cummings (17-6-1, 13 KOs) on August 2 in a non-televised support of the main event between WBO 175-pound titleholder Sergey Kovalev and Blake Caparello, Main Events CEO Kathy Duva announced on Tuesday.

 

KENNETH SIMS JR., EVAN WOOLSEY ON TUREANO JOHNSON-MIKE GAVRONSKI CARD.

On July 11, welterweight Kenneth Sims Jr. will fight Evan Woolsey and featherweight Eduardo Martinez takes on Lavale Wilson on the undercard of a main event featuring middleweight Tureano Johnson (14-1, 10 KOs) against Mike Gavronski (14-0-1, 10 KOs) at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Wash., on "ESPN Friday Night Fights."

Announced by Gary Shaw Productions and Antonio Leonard Promotions, the card boasts lightweights Art Hovhannisyan vs. Jonathan Maicelo in the co-feature of the evening.

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