Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33KOs) knocked Eric Molina out after nine rounds in Alabama to retain the WBC world heavyweight championship. The 239-pound Texan had already been knocked down on three occasions but managed to get up every time before Wilder delivered the final big blow with 1:03 left in the ninth.

Tuscaloosa-native Wilder, 29, was defending the belt he won from Bermane Stiverne in January in what was the first-ever world championship fight in his home state of Alabama.

David Price, who like Wilder won an Olympic bronze medal, was unimpressed by the WBC champion's victory. Price will go for the European championship when he takes on Erkan Teper in Germany on July 17.

"I said before the fight that I'd love to challenge Deontay Wilder and I say the same after the fight," Price told Sky Sports. "That performance doesn't make a difference - it's what I know I'm capable of. I believe that in a fight between me and Deontay Wilder, I can come out on top.

"It's something I've got to work towards, which I'm in the process of doing but there was nothing there tonight that made me think I'd avoid fighting him. He looked like he's gone backwards but we're all allowed a bad day at the office. Maybe it was difficult to get up for Molina because he was much better against Stiverne.

"He looked like he was afraid of making a mistake and that resulted him making numerous mistakes throughout the fight."