By Edward Chaykovsky

Heavyweight contender Eric Molina admits that IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (18-0, 18KOs) was too fast and too strong.

Molina was stopped by Joshua in three rounds last Saturday night at the Manchester Arena.

He was never in the fight from very start. Joshua had full control and finally dropped him hard in the third. Molina seemed like wasn't going to beat the count, but he did. It didn't take long before Joshua jumped on him with hard combinations to forced the referee's intervention.

Molina said he didn't have a lot of time to prepare for the fight and the suffered from a lot of jet lag from traveling over to the UK. Molina had been inactive since an April tenth round knockout of Tomasz Adamek. Before he knocked Adamek out in the tenth, he was down on the cards, 88-83, with all three judges.

"We took on a strong champion as a late replacement," Molina exclusively told Sky Sports. "Joshua's speed and power were overwhelming. I definitely tested the limits and failed.

"It seemed like I couldn't snap out of jet lag the entire camp. Thirty nine days to prepare, with five of those spent in the air. I went for it, but that's boxing and it's never easy to win on the road. Joshua is a great champion."

Molina, 34-year-old, said the plan was to allow Joshua to do his work for the first three to four rounds - and then he would begin to let his hands go. He never got the chance as Joshua applied a lot of pressure and had little trouble landing his shots.

"Our plan was to weather the early three or four rounds and then open up," said Molina. "Not every plan works every time, obviously. Nonetheless, I am grateful for the opportunity to fight for the heavyweight crown."