By Ryan Burton
IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelius "K9" Bundrage wasn't impressed with last Friday's performance by highly touted prospect Erislandy Lara. The Cuban fighter battled experienced Mexican boxer Carlos Molina to a ten round majority draw at The Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Many of the rounds were close and more than a few ringside observers felt that the Mexican should have received the nod on the judges scorecards. Bundrage felt that Molina did enough to win the fight as well and he reached out to BoxingScene to give his opinion on the fight.
"I was sitting at home watching ESPN2 with my lovely family and some of the commentators were saying if Lara won his fight he may have a potential showdown with Cornelius "K9" Bundrage, the IBF world champion and he went out there and lost the fight. They called it a draw but he really lost the fight. I think that the other kid Carlos Molina deserves a shot at the belt instead of matching me up with the other guy (Lara). He deserved it. Lara wasn't even ready for that fight. He isn't ready to fight me. He is not in Cuba now. He is over here in America now and I don't think he wants to see the Dog. It is actually a fact that he don't want to see me," Bundrage told BoxingScene.com
The Detroit, Michigan based fighter said that he saw a lot of flaws in Lara and thinks that the Cuban amateur standout needs to hone his skills before he steps in the ring with "K9". There had been talk of Lara facing Bundrage in June on the undercard of the Devon Alexander-Lucas Matthysse HBO televised clash. After this performance it doesn't seem as likely that the Bundrage-Lara showdown will happen in June. Bundrage told BoxingScene that he thinks Molina actually deserves the shot at his belt.
"I always root for the underdog when I see a fight and they aren't guys that I know. I was happy for the other guy (Molina). I was happy for him because he is back on jump start and the other guy Lara really needs to re-evaluate himself again. I hope he doesn't come up with any excuses and he is just honest and says Carlos Molina was the better man that day and go back in the gym. Don't call me out because he don't really want it."
Molina had a lot of success going to the body against Lara. Molina doesn't have a lot of power but landed several clean left and right hooks to Lara's body. K9 noticed that as well and felt that if he had been in the ring with Lara that the fight wouldn't have gone the scorecards.
"Can you imagine if Lara had been in that fight with me instead? From seeing that fight, picture him and me in that fight. The outcome would have been terrible for him. He would have been knocked out," said Bundrage.
The former Contender series participant finished up our conversation by saying that he wouldn't have a problem facing Lara but feels that there are bigger and more lucrative fights out there. His wish list includes Miguel Cotto, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, and Sergio Martinez.
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