Journal of a Boxing Historian

By Tom Donelson

(Member Boxing Writers Assc.)

Carlos Molina started fast as he popped the slugger James Kirkland with solid combinations including right hands that landed fleshed into Kirkland’s face throughout the first round.   Starting in the third round, Kirkland landed a few solid body shots but Molina landed the bigger blows as he nailed Kirkland with solid combinations.  Even when Molina retreated, he connected with solid left hooks and right hands plus there were times that he pushed Kirkland to the ropes just as in the fourth round, when he landed a five punch combination that shook the retreating Kirkland.

Starting with the fifth round, Kirkland come out strong as he connected on some solid lefts and he dominated the first half of the round. Molina came back to win the rest of the round as he forced Kirkland to retreat with solid combinations.  After an even sixth round, Kirkland looked like he was behind in the fight by a wide margin as he kept following Molina while Moline effectively countered.

The seventh round saw Molina returning to his form of the first four rounds as he nailed Kirkland with solid combinations while Kirkland threw one punch at a time.  Kirkland looked confuse in the eighth round as he tried to out box a boxer instead of going after Molina.  Kirkland instinct is to brawl but over the first eighth round, he fought cautiously as oppose to all-out attack.   

After a fighting a lackluster nine rounds, Kirkland hurt Molina with two big right hand hooks  at the opening of tenth round. Molina attempted to smother Kirkland to prevent Kirkland momentum. Molina struck Kirkland with a solid right hand that forced Kirkland to the rope but with less than ten seconds, Kirkland landed a right hook and straight left hand that knock Molina down but then chaos reigned.

As the knockdown was being counted, Molina’s corner came out of the corner and into the ring as they heard the bell ring ending the round. What they didn’t realize was that the count was still going on and the referee disqualified Molina since the corner came into the ring while the round was technically was still on.  Ann Wolfe, Kirkland trainers, told HBO Max Kellerman that she wanted to see the fight continued.  Two of the judges had Molina winning easy even though another judge had Kirkland winning; leaving one with the question which fight was this official watching. Molina was winning the fight and maybe the fight should have continued but the fact was that it didn’t and Kirkland was declared the victor. Read More »