Wilder, who holds the WBC’s coveted green and gold strap, believes Molina will be no pushover for Joshua and aims to secure a huge unification with the winner, possibly at the back end of 2017.
“I know firsthand just how tough Eric Molina is,” Wilder said. “He’s coming to win because it’s a chance for him to win a world title, and he’ll definitely push Joshua.
“Whoever wins will have to see me eventually because it’s my goal to collect all the belts and become the undisputed heavyweight champion.”
Molina, who bids to put the first dent in Joshua’s record, Is determined to show the world he can become a world ruler.
“In the Wilder fight, look at the first knockdown. You see how I landed on my left ankle. I rolled it over and it hurt – and got worse — but I kept fighting. The ankle was in a cast for six-seven weeks afterward,” explained Molina.
“Take out the Wilder fight and it puts me in right in the mix with any heavyweights in the world. For me, that fight was confirmation that no heavyweight can just run through me. That is one of the differences between my attitude now and before.
“At one point I didn’t have the experience –I had no amateur fights – or the confidence I have now. I now know what I can do and can’t do, I know my strengths and weaknesses more and just feel that I’ve matured into a top contender. I’m now confident in my power and the things that I can do.’’
