Molina: I'll Be a Tougher Fight For Joshua Than Wladimir Klitschko

By Edward Chaykovsky

Eric Molina feels confident that he's going to give Anthony Joshua (17-0, 17KOs) a harder night's work than former division ruler Wladimir Klitschko.

Molina will challenge Joshua for the IBF heavyweight title at the Manchester Arena on December 10, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Should Joshua walk away with the win and and without injury, he would move forward to a huge defense against Klitschko on a date in March or April - and the vacant WBA, IBO world titles would be at stake.

Molina is hoping that Joshua is under the impression that it's going to be an easy night's work. Molina traveled to Poland earlier this year and scored a big knockout victory over former two division world champion Tomasz Adamek.

"If he thinks he's going to have an easy night, that's even better for me, but I know it's going to be anything but that," Molina told Sky Sports. "I keep saying this to everyone. I don't think there will be anyone who will have an easy night against me. I don't think that's the fighter that I am anymore.

"If he slips up one bit, it's going to be a long night for him. In his mind, he's got to stay confident, but it's not going to be an easy night. As much as he's hoping for it, it ain't going to be that. I'm going to test a lot of things about Joshua that I think the people don't really understand. I'm going to test different things that people haven't seen in this fight."

As far as Klitschko, Molina sees the former champion as a past his prime fighter who no longer can compete with the best. Klitschko has been inactive since last November's decision loss to Tyson Fury.

"I really hope he isn't, I hope he's taking me serious," said Molina. "For me this is it, there won't be any rebuilding for me, there won't be another world title shot. I'm coming in with everyone I've got. I hope he's taking me serious, because I don't want to hear any excuses after the fight.

"To be quite honest, I don't think much of Klitschko, he's had his time. I think his time has passed him by and I think the fight with me will be tougher than what the Klitschko fight is going to be."