John Molina Jr. is back in the gym and waiting on his next assignment as he hopes to get back in the ring before year-end. Molina suffered a tough loss to veteran Humberto Soto this past September, and while it was a setback, the hard-hitting Molina has already put it behind him and is looking to bounce back.
This was Molina's first fight under the tutelage of Jose Santa Cruz – father of Leo Santa Cruz – and despite them not getting the win on their first assignment together, Molina confirms he is still training with Santa Cruz and looking forward to a big fight against a name he has been wanting to face.
"I'm still over there in Leo's gym with Jose Santa Cruz as my trainer. Everything's the same. We were disappointed we didn't get the W, but everything is on the up and up and we're planning for a good year in 2015. There are a lot of names at 140, and especially with [Omar] Figueroa moving up. I think that with our styles, it's a can't miss fight," Molina would tell FightHype.
Molina has been calling for a fight against Figueroa since he was still a Lightweight, but the fight never materialized. He hopes to get the chance to finally fight Figueroa and feels the fans will be the ones who will make it happen this time around.
"I think the fans alone will make it happen and will ask for it. The fact that we're both represented by Al Haymon makes it a win-win situation and we'll both be able to make that fight happen. I think right now, the best way the fight game should be is the best fighting the best and the exciting fighting the exciting. And I believe if you put me in a fight with anybody, you always get an exciting fight and I think the fans now recognize that and they know I'm coming to fight no matter what," said Molina.
Molina proved just how exciting he could be earlier this year when he and Lucas Matthysse went to war and produced a Fight of the Year candidate in a back and forth affair. Even his recent fight with Soto was full of entertainment, despite him not being the victor. If he lands a fight with Figueroa, Molina believes fireworks will happen again and feels the fans want to see him fight because it's guaranteed action.
"The fans want to see me fight anybody. They're kind of labeling me like the new Arturo Gatti and that's [because] I'll fight anybody; doesn't matter who it is. The fans like me so much because I've always given exciting fights and that's what I'll continue to do," he continued.
Molina had to go back to the drawing board after his last bout, but it's not the first time. He's bounced back from defeats before and sees this as being no different. When his back has been against the wall before, he's pulled through. Molina would love to get in one more fight before the year is over, but for now, he awaits his next assignment, staying busy in the gym and still targeting the best fighters in his division. "There are a few names out there that I definitely want to call out and I definitely want to fight and that's Omar Figueroa, Adrien Broner and Lamont Peterson. And I would love the rematch with Lucas Matthysse again," he added.
[ Follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @Truewest007 ]