By Cliff Rold

With his nations, and indeed one of Boxing’s, most legendary fighters looking on, Panama’s Celestino Caballero (31-2, 22 KO) dominated and then stopped Canada’s Steve Molitor (28-1, 11 KO) in four one-sided rounds of Friday night at Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada.  As Roberto Duran smiled, both from ringside and at center ring, in celebration of Caballero unifying Molitor’s IBF Jr. Featherweight belt with his own WBA crown, eyes had already begun to turn to the future.  After this performance, Caballero can hope the future will include a showdown with Lineal, Ring Magazine and WBC titlist Israel Vasquez.

Now having posted the sixth defense of his WBA title, he’s certainly earned the opportunity.  How soon it could happen may hinge on Vasquez’s ongoing recovery from retina surgery, but such a showdown would certainly be welcome in 2009.

Both Caballero and Molitor weighed in just a quarter pound below the division limit at 121 ¾.

Caballero-Molitor had been highly anticipated by avid Boxing followers but the 32-year old Panamanian set out to eliminate any suspense early on.  Standing 5’11 to Molitor’s 5’7, Caballero struck immediately at the opening bell, charging forward and backing the 28-year old Molitor into the corner before letting loose with a winging left to the body.  Molitor slipped away and spent the bulk of the round circling, looking for his southpaw counter left hands, but having trouble gauging the distance he’d need to be comfortable as the much taller Caballero maintained his aggression and pushed out long left jabs.

The second round began with another Caballero charge followed by more hard body shots along the ropes.  The left hand continued to miss the mark for Molitor, when he threw it, and the local favorite’s struggle with the range of Caballero continued. 

Molitor showed spark to start the third, striking first with a right jab and left hand but it would be only a shimmering mirage of hope.  A right to the body and head landed for Caballero along the ropes at about a minute in and Molitor’s struggle to land effectively returned. 

It was shortly coupled with a struggle to stop getting hit. 

A hard left jab sent Molitor in rapid repeat with about a minute to go and, sensing a stunned foe, Caballero lifted his knees in a light jogging pursuit.  Right hands raked Molitor at every turn and at the bell a final right in the form of an uppercut folded Molitor along the ropes.  He stayed up but was clearly an injured man as he searched for his footing and then stumbled towards his corner looking for answers.

Sixty seconds would not be long enough to get them.

Testing the wounded Molitor right away, Caballero again pursued towards the ropes to begin the fourth, just missing with a sweeping left hand.  Molitor moved away in all out retreat, searching more for survival than victory.  The search looked doomed just thirty seconds into the round.  Pushing Molitor out of an attempted clinch and into the ropes, Caballero stepped in with a leveraged right uppercut, exploding it through Molitor’s guard and sending him sputtering towards the floor, Molitor’s right arm just protecting him from planting face first. 

Molitor rose at the referee’s count of four, falling into the ropes and then using them to push himself to his feet as the referee completed the mandatory eight count.  Blinking and bouncing on his toes, Molitor signaled he could go on but Caballero had other fates in mind.  Feinting twice, Caballero opened Molitor up for a quick left jab, then another followed by a slashing right hand.  Caballero followed with the same combination right away only with more force, a final right hand jerking Molitor’s head upwards as he began again to sink to the floor.  Referee Luis Pabon leapt in to save him the trip, calling an official halt at :52 seconds of round four.

Molitor was classy if disappointed in defeat.  “I couldn’t get off tonight…He was the better man tonight.  Congratulations to Caballero.  He fought a great fight.”  Molitor acknowledged being overwhelmed by the size of Caballero.  “He had a good reach and he used it to his advantage.”  Molitor’s trainer, also questioned, made clear that he was prepared to stop the fight if the referee had not though Molitor stated, with a fighter’s pride, he was ready to continue.

Caballero showed pride as well in what he had accomplished and, after some verbal assaults in the pre-fight build, got in his final digs at Molitor.  “Molitor is not a warrior.  Molitor was a fine champion for the public, not for the fight.  I am a real warrior and I come to fight.”  The comment alluded to Molitor’s status as local favorite and indeed the bout marked Molitor’s sixth straight appearance at Casino Rama. 

Asked who he’d like to fight, Caballero threw out the names of undefeated WBO titlist Juan Manuel Lopez of Puerto Rico, former World champion Rafael Marquez and, of course Vasquez.  For the latter two, he began the trash talk early.  “The most important thing is to continue unifying.  For all the Mexicans, put the pants back on and fight me.”

The televised card was carried live in the U.S. on the Showtime network as part of its ShoBox series.

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com