https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/ ... -away-ring
Perennial contender John Molina Jr. is retiring from boxing, ending a memorable career just days after he was stopped in eight rounds by Josesito Lopez at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Molina, 36, finished with a career record of 30-9 (24 KOs).
"There comes a time in every fighter's career when he has to be honest with himself," he told ESPN. "I must say it's one of the hardest things I've ever had to decide ... but I'm afraid this career has run its course. It's now time for me to enjoy the time with my beautiful family.
"I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the fans, friends and family who have supported me throughout this 13-year career. I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to live my dreams and provide a great life for my family doing it.
"I also want to thank the behind-the-scenes people that also made this career possible. My beautiful wife and daughters, my mom and dad, Rick Seidner, Al Haymon, and also all my trainers."
Despite a limited amateur career, the hard-hitting Molina quickly developed a reputation as a fan-friendly, entertaining fighter who despite some technical imperfections never was truly out of it because of his jolting power.
Mickey Bey found that out the hard way in 2013. He had built what appeared to be an insurmountable lead on the scorecards against Molina after nine rounds in Las Vegas, but with a few big punches, Molina scored an astonishing knockout in the 10th and final round.
And then there was Molina's memorable back-and-forth battle with Lucas Matthysse in 2014, a consensus fight of the year. After flooring Matthysse twice in that bout, he was eventually halted in the 11th round.
In December 2017, Molina had to get up from the canvas early to stop Ivan Redkach in a brutal slugfest. That ended up being his last professional victory, as he lost to Omar Figueroa in a 10-round decision in February and then Lopez on Saturday night.
Molina walks away from the sport with great memories, and no bitterness.
"Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said. "I'll see you guys at the fights."
John Molina Jr. Announces Retirement from Boxing
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: John Molina Jr. Announces Retirement from Boxing
Fun and memorable career. I wish him the best.
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Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
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Re: John Molina Jr. Announces Retirement from Boxing
“I take nothing away from Josesito Lopez, he’s a great fighter,” Molina (30-9, 24KOs) insisted to Premier Boxing Champions. “I don’t want anyone to think I’m blaming my loss on being long in the tooth. Lopez was victorious because he was the better fighter.
“For me, there were times during exchanges where I reacted mentally, but physically my body felt like it was trying to keep up. My body didn’t respond at the level I wanted it to respond.”
.“I was never the most technical sound or the fastest guy,” Molina unapologetically admitted to Premier Boxing Champions. “But my heart and will to fight was second to none. And I had a helluva punch.
“If I hit it you with it, it pulled the fight out of the fire on more than one occasion.”
Nine months later came his next defeat, though the type where there were truly no losers. Molina and Lucas Matthysse spent 10-plus rounds battering the hell out of one another, each hitting the canvas twice before Matthysse prevailed in the 11th round of their April 2014 junior welterweight slugfest. The bout was hailed by the Boxing Writers Association of America as the 2014 Fight of the Year.
"That was my proudest moment,” Molina fondly recalled of the memorable war. “I didn’t realize what had happened first. Then two days later, people that have been in the business for 30 years; writers, analysts, fighters, all began contacting me and telling me that they actually had to turn away from the fight because it was too gruesome to watch.
“That’s when I realized what we accomplished that night.”
There stands a chance that Molina will find his way back to boxing in some capacity. For now, he’s just looking forward to some much needed downtime.
“There are things that I want to pursue, but I will announce that in that every near future,” reveals Molina, who will spend the next few months chilling with his family, including his two adolescent daughters Raenah (who celebrates her 7th birthday in November) and Riley, three. “Now I can spend time with my family, enjoy my daughters. You got to remember boxing is demanding both physically and mentally. So even physically when I was home, mentally I was checked out, because I was getting ready to go to war.
“I don’t mean to sound cliché because I mean this wholeheartedly: I want to thank everyone for keeping me relevant. For watching my fights, however you supported me. Just know that I represented you guys, that dreams do come true. I heard a lot of ‘no’ before I heard that one ‘yes.’ I kept fighting and fighting and finally I got there. And by getting there I mean, being recognized on a world level. To where, when you heard my name mentioned in a fight, you knew that’s exactly what it was going to be: a fight.”
https://tinyurl.com/y6fgsh6d
“For me, there were times during exchanges where I reacted mentally, but physically my body felt like it was trying to keep up. My body didn’t respond at the level I wanted it to respond.”
.“I was never the most technical sound or the fastest guy,” Molina unapologetically admitted to Premier Boxing Champions. “But my heart and will to fight was second to none. And I had a helluva punch.
“If I hit it you with it, it pulled the fight out of the fire on more than one occasion.”
Nine months later came his next defeat, though the type where there were truly no losers. Molina and Lucas Matthysse spent 10-plus rounds battering the hell out of one another, each hitting the canvas twice before Matthysse prevailed in the 11th round of their April 2014 junior welterweight slugfest. The bout was hailed by the Boxing Writers Association of America as the 2014 Fight of the Year.
"That was my proudest moment,” Molina fondly recalled of the memorable war. “I didn’t realize what had happened first. Then two days later, people that have been in the business for 30 years; writers, analysts, fighters, all began contacting me and telling me that they actually had to turn away from the fight because it was too gruesome to watch.
“That’s when I realized what we accomplished that night.”
There stands a chance that Molina will find his way back to boxing in some capacity. For now, he’s just looking forward to some much needed downtime.
“There are things that I want to pursue, but I will announce that in that every near future,” reveals Molina, who will spend the next few months chilling with his family, including his two adolescent daughters Raenah (who celebrates her 7th birthday in November) and Riley, three. “Now I can spend time with my family, enjoy my daughters. You got to remember boxing is demanding both physically and mentally. So even physically when I was home, mentally I was checked out, because I was getting ready to go to war.
“I don’t mean to sound cliché because I mean this wholeheartedly: I want to thank everyone for keeping me relevant. For watching my fights, however you supported me. Just know that I represented you guys, that dreams do come true. I heard a lot of ‘no’ before I heard that one ‘yes.’ I kept fighting and fighting and finally I got there. And by getting there I mean, being recognized on a world level. To where, when you heard my name mentioned in a fight, you knew that’s exactly what it was going to be: a fight.”
https://tinyurl.com/y6fgsh6d
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Counter-puncher
- Heavyweight
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Re: John Molina Jr. Announces Retirement from Boxing
Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑03 Oct 2019, 07:06
“I don’t mean to sound cliché because I mean this wholeheartedly: I want to thank everyone for keeping me relevant. For watching my fights, however you supported me. Just know that I represented you guys, that dreams do come true. I heard a lot of ‘no’ before I heard that one ‘yes.’ I kept fighting and fighting and finally I got there. And by getting there I mean, being recognized on a world level. To where, when you heard my name mentioned in a fight, you knew that’s exactly what it was going to be: a fight.”
fvckin DUDE
I've actually got a tear in the corner of my eye over this paragraph. what a guy.
Re: John Molina Jr. Announces Retirement from Boxing
After watching him at the weekend, I think this is a sensible decision.