BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – Deontay Wilder successfully defended his WBC heavyweight title with a ninth-round knockout of Eric Molina on Saturday night at Bartow Arena, a short drive from his hometown.
Wilder (34-0) delivered a right hand that turned Molina around and sent him falling on his back after a couple of follow-up punches. The referee quickly signaled that the fight was over, probably several rounds later than many observers expected with Wilder a heavy favorite.
The 6-foot-7 Wilder knocked down Molina (23-3) in the fourth and twice again in the fifth, practically running across the ring after him before Wilder went down the third time. The Texan withstood barrages to the head in the sixth from Wilder, but came back strong two rounds later, landing some hard body shots.