by Keith Terceira
“The Canadian Kid” Steve Molitor 22-0 (8Ko’s) travels to Johannesburg, South Africa this week in preparation to meet Gabula Vabaza 23-0-1 (15KO’s) for the vacant IBF Super Bantamweight title on September 1 at the Nasrec Arena. Molitor campaigned and was successful at 118 but a lack of substantial fights and natural growth moved him into the 122 plus range and eventually we are told even into a higher weight class as his 5’8” frame fills out more.
Vabaza is the former WBU Super flyweight Champion and has held the WBA inter-continental Super-Bantamweight belt for a couple of years. Both he and Molitor are Southpaws and have extensive amateur backgrounds .South African Vabaza will have the crowd advantage fighting in his home country but of the three judges only one will be from his continent.
Molitor of Canadian and Hispanic descent has recently been fighting in the States and still resides in Canada. We caught up to Steve just prior to his flight to Africa and spent some time with both him and Ricardo Salazar, head of One More Round, Molitor’s promoter.
BoxingScene.com: Steve, give us the run down on how your training is going?
Steve Molitor: It’s been going really well, we had some sparring come up from Detroit and stuff like that. Me and Chris Johnson have been working twice a day very intensely and we are looking forward to having a great fight.
BoxingScene.com: When do you leave for South Africa?
Molitor: We are leaving the 24th (yesterday) this will give us time to get used to the weather down there and then to take care of business and bring the title home to North America.
BoxingScene.com: What made you decide to come up in weight from 118 , where you were having so much success?
Molitor: I was with a different manager then and he was squeezing a lot out of me to make 118. I was not feeling strong, I was weak. Even at 122 I’m a big fighter, the last couple of fights I’ve still been the bigger guy in the ring at that weight. I feel a lot more comfortable.
BoxingScene.com: Do you feel with the added weight it has increased your power?
Molitor: I don’t now if its picked up my power but I don’t feel quite as drained. I know most people feel that’s its only four pounds but it losing that last four pounds took a lot of energy out of me.
My last fight in Atlantic City really showed me what a difference in my stamina those last four pounds helps. It really has made my confidence and attitude better as well.
BoxingScene.com: You are fighting in South Africa, giving up home field advantage, so to speak, what makes you feel comfortable doing that?
Molitor: We have been given an American Referee and a Canadian, an American, and a South African judge so it has balanced out that way well.
BoxingScene.com: What about the crowd swaying the judges?
Molitor: I am not worried at all about that. I have had to face worst in my career and come out on top.I took care of business in England when I fought Nicky and I’ll take care of business in South Africa. I am used to it and better when my back is to the wall.
BoxingScene.com: How are things with a new trainer?
Molitor: Johnson is the man for the job, I am very comfortable with him. He has the experience working with Tarver and Reggie Johnson. He was a skilled fighter himself and he does a damn good job.
BoxingScene.com: Your opponent is undefeated and has fought some of Europes best, what do you feel is the recipe for success against him?
Molitor: I have to be relentless with him. He is a respectable boxer, we have his last couple of bouts on tape, and these guys didn’t jump on him and bring it to him. They kind of stood there and let him box them. First of all I’m not going to let him out box me because he is not a better boxer than me, and he is not going to be stronger than me.
BoxingScene.com: You plan then is to bring the fight to him?
Molitor: Controlled aggression (laugh) That the name of the game, I’m not going to let him breath, it’s going to be very controlled.
BoxingScene.com: You are quite a celebrity in Canada and bringing home to belt will make you it’s only champion, how has the press coverage been?
Molitor: It’s been picking up and this last week it has been getting crazy. We have done TV, newspapers and more.
At this point in the conversation we were joined by Ricardo Salazar, Molitor’s promoter and head of One More Round Promotions.
BoxingScene.com: Ricardo What made you pick South Africa for this fight?
Salazar: The fight had been dragging for quite a while, and Israel Vasquez refused to fight Steve (Molitor). They can say all they want about economics but I feel it was more that Steve was undefeated, everyone thinks highly of him, and Vasquez was worried about the risk without the reward. When the opportunity came to fight in South Africa the financial agreements was very lucrative for us at this point in Steve’s career. Fighting for the vacant title there will be good for us, and it was a fair situation. The winner will be the better man in the ring and not be influenced in any other way.
BoxingScene.com: When we interviewed Steve a couple of years ago, you talked of taking titles from 118 to 126. Jumping right into the 122 title without a 118 belt is that because people had been ducking you at the lighter weight?
Molitor: Definitely, I feel people were staying away from fighting me. But 118 was taking way to much out of me as well. I was just killing my body for small fights and little money. I can carry even more weight and we will look at that in the future but 118 is long gone, never again.
BoxingScene.com: Steve, you do know that once you bring the belt back here then everyone will want it?
Molitor: That’s ok, If it makes dollars., it makes sense. That’s what I tell everybody. (laughter) The guy I want to fight is Ponce De Leon , that’s a good fight for me, and I think he is a wild swinging cowboy truthfully.
BoxingScene.com: Thanks Steve for your time and good luck, we’ll talk when you return the Champ.
Molitor: Bank on it Keith and thanks to BoxingScene.com for the interview.
Quesrions and comments to Kterceira@BoxingScene.com.com
