Weslaco boxer Eric “Drummer Boy” Molina’s third bid for a heavyweight world championship didn’t go as planned Saturday night in Brooklyn, New York.
Molina (26-5, 19 knockouts) suffered an eighth-round technical knockout loss to Californian Dominic Breazeale (19-1, 17 KOs) in a WBC heavyweight title eliminator bout. Breazeale now stays alive for a possible WBC title fight in 2018.
“Drummer Boy” fought for the WBC title against Deontay Wilder in 2015 in Alabama and IBF champion Anthony Joshua in 2016 in England.
Molina, a special education instructor at Harwell Middle School in Edinburg, held his own in the early rounds of Saturday’s fight and landed a solid right in the seventh round that rocked Breazeale. But Molina apparently was caught by a blow to the back of the head and an elbow to the face in the eighth round. The Weslaco fighter took a knee and received a mandatory eight count. He was going to make it out of the round with the bell sounding an end to the eighth, but his corner conceded the bout as it appeared Molina was in trouble.
Breazeale was awarded a TKO victory at the end of the eighth.
“Breazeale is a big guy but was not a big puncher,” Molina posted on the social media. “I felt I was winning the fight heading into the eighth round in which two hard elbows (by Breazeale) landed. One under my eye and the other in back of my head, causing me to take a knee. I was unable to recover and the fight was stopped. That is boxing. No excuses. Much love to everybody who reached out and showed support to TDB (Team Drummer Boy). Love all you guys and thanks for always supporting me.”
Molina took the fight against Breazeale on short notice. He was scheduled to fight Oct. 14 against Lance Gouch of Missouri on a boxing show at Mercedes Livestock Show Grounds, but he opted out of that bout when his opportunity to go against Breazeale materialized.
“Drummer Boy” has indicated he will be back to fight again sometime soon.
“VIC THE BRICK”
WINS MAIN EVENT
Victor Martinez of Pharr, known as “Vic the Brick,” triumphed in the main event of Friday’s STFC 44 mixed martial arts cage fighting show at McAllen Converntion Center.
Martinez (8-4) won his three-round STFC lightweight (155 pounds) match on a split decision against Harlingen’s Raymond Banda III (6-1).
“I feel good (because) this was a fight I had to win,” Martinez said. “I had told myself I needed this win over an undefeated fighter to make my record look good. I put a lot of pressure on myself for this fight. It feels great to come out victorious.”
Other winners on the show included Gunner Coronado of Brownsville and Aaron Cortez of Mission.
The next STFC show is scheduled in March 2018.
UPCOMING
Texas Rage and South Texas Fighting Academy present the Extreme Fight Night 5 show Nov. 18 in Palmhurst. Edinburg middleweight Raul “El Tigre” Casarez (20-7, nine KOs) is scheduled to make a comeback in the main event. Harlingen cruiserweight/heavyweight Raphael Murphy (11-1, nine KOs) is also scheduled to fight on the card. For more information, call (956) 456-5786 or (956) 460-7808.
