Molitor Gets Ready To Fight The World
Posted June 15, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Ontario is well represented in the world of sports with professional hockey, baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse and soccer teams. But when it comes to the sweet science, fans are literally starving for action. Aside from the deplorable drunken tussles that break out in Toronto’s entertainment district most weekends, you’d be hard pressed to find a decent fight in the province. But that might change when Canadian pugilist Steve Molitor defends his world boxing title for the first time at Casino Rama on July 14th. Promoters are hoping the bout could pave the way for the sport in Ontario.
The undefeated Molitor will put his I.B.F. junior featherweight belt on the line against Takalani (The Panther) Ndlovu of South Africa. Molitor won the title last fall after knocking out previously-unbeaten Michael Hunter in England.
It will be the first, and hopefully not last, title fight in Ontario involving an Ontario-based fighter in more than 20 years, and some think it will set the ball in motion when it comes to staging future cards.
“If we are able to run three or four good quality professional fight cards every year, that will help build boxing’s base in the province,” said Jeff Craik, Casino Rama’s vice-president of marketing.
Molitor, a 27-year-old resident of Mississauga, believes the card will offer him a chance to showcase his skills.
“There’s nobody else in Canada with a world boxing title. I feel I’m still lacking some recognition but I’m not going to cry or complain about it. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing — winning fights and taking care of business.”
