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Home » Exclusive: Provodnikov wants war with Molina, keen on Burns fight

Exclusive: Provodnikov wants war with Molina, keen on Burns fight

The 32 year-old headlines Showtime on Saturday night in what is expected to be a Fight of the Year contender against Molina – looking to build on his victory over Jesus Rodriguez in November.

Provodnikov and Molina have been involved in several wars over the past few years and many are predicting a stoppage somewhere along the line, something the former world champion says he aims for in every single fight.

“I always do the best I can to finish a fight early,” Provodnikov exclusively told World Boxing News.

“This fight against John Molina is the style of fight that I enjoy. It’s toe to toe, power against power and character against character.”

Asked how training went now that he’s been with Joel Diaz for some months, Provodnikov added: “Everything is great, training with my new trainer Joel Diaz for the second camp in a row. I will let you guys watch me fight on June 11 and see whether there are some improvements.”

Obviously, a victory for Provodnikov would push him closer to another world title shot, and with a massive unification taking place next month between Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol, the stakes are high for both fighters.

“I’ve always said I’m willing to fight anybody, but it’s all about whether they want to fight me,” he said. “Usually, we have a problem finding a fight but I’m open to fighting anybody, including the winner of Crawford v Postol.

“I think it’s a very good fight, but it’s hard to say who wins. I don’t make predictions for fights so we will just see what happens.”

New WBA champion and three-weight belt holder Ricky Burns could be an interesting option for Provodnikov, possibly after the summer, something the big-puncher admitted to WBN does appeal to him.

“If my team decides it’s the right thing to do I will do it. I would be very interested in fighting Ricky Burns,” confirmed Provodnikov.

“He is a good fighter and a fight between us would be exciting for the fans,” he added.