Former Lightweight Title Challenger Molina Meets Williams on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights
The January 11 edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature former Lightweight title challenger “The Gladiator” John Molina Jr. (24-2, 19 KOs) and Dannie Williams (22-2, 18 KOs) in the 10-round main event. Friday’s show will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD. Below, find a complete overview of the card, a video preview of Friday Night Fights, and a short video clip and tease on a feature segment on Dannie Williams.
Main Event:
California’s Molina, trained by Robert Garcia, who also trains Junior Featherweight Champion Nonito Donaire, will look to rebound from a September first-round TKO to Lightweight titlist Antonio DeMarco.
“Dannie Williams is a tough guy and a good puncher,” said Molina of Friday’s fight. “It’s sort of a crossroads fight for both of us. He needs to beat me, and I need to beat him to go onto the next step. This fight has some meaning behind it. I feel like I’ve been through the gauntlet and I’m ready to take on anything now. It should be an entertaining fight and I don’t expect anything less than an all-out war.”
Ohio’s Williams, trained by Jack Loew, former trainer of former Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, is coming off an October seventh-round TKO win over Rynell Griffen.
“John Molina is a big, strong kid and I think he’s a real good opponent,” said Williams. “I definitely don’t go by what happened to him in his last fight. It’s going to be a hell of a fight. I’m going to be real shocked if we hear the bell for round 10.”
Co-Feature:
Friday’s co-feature will pit undefeated Middleweight Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales (16-0-1, 10 KOs), of California against “Dangerous” Don Mouton (11-4-1, 9 KOs) of Houston in an eight-round bout. Gonzales, trained by Virgil Hunter, 2011 BWAA Trainer of the Year, is coming off a June eight-round unanimous decision against Eli Augustama. Mouton is coming off an October sixth-round knockout win over Samuel Clarkson.
Opening Fight:
Friday’s card will open with a four-round Light Heavyweight bout between Siju Shabazz (4-4, 2 KOs) and Mark Lujan (professional debut).
, and will be available online through WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. The card will also air live on ESPN Deportes+, the new digital extension of ESPN Deportes and ESPN3 and will air on ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. The card from Santa Fe, N.M., is promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.
Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Pueblo Pavilion describing the action for ESPN2 HD, while studio host Todd Grisham will present all the latest news and boxing highlights. Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will call the fights for ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights) with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in the studio. Bi-lingual reporter Bernardo Osuna will present live interviews and reports for both shows.
