Boxing Preview: Deontay Wilder vs. Eric Molina

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One of the sporting world’s best-kept secrets lies within a gargantuan heavyweight 6-foot-7 frame, hidden behind two of the most lethal hands in all of boxing.

Even though he has fought professionally 33 times, never lost and has knocked out all of his opponents save for only one man, Deontay Wilder remains an unknown commodity to the casual sports fan.

That certainly should change within a year, as Wilder appears destined to quickly find himself on a collision course with undisputed heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. And, provided the “The Bronze Bomber” can do what no man has done in a decade in defeating the hulking Ukrainian, Wilder should become that inaccurately-labeled “overnight sensation.”

However, Wilder must first get through opponent Eric Molina on Saturday night; their fight the main event on Showtime Championship Boxing. Though Wilder is rightfully a massive betting favorite, Molina isn’t some chump who doesn’t belong in the ring with the Alabama native. Sherdog breaks down the matchup in all the key categories and explains everything as if the bout already happened.

Power: Molina, who hails from Texas, has solid power for a heavyweight. His knockout percentage of 68 percent is nothing to sneeze at and he’s stopped his last three opponents, with one of them against veteran contender DaVarryl Williamson. But what “Drummer Boy” packs in his gloves, Wilder has that tenfold. So much more power, in fact, that his KO ratio is a staggering 96.97 percent.

Wilder has failed in knocking out an opponent just once, and that was in his last bout where he captured the WBC heavyweight title from Las Vegas-based Bermane Stiverne via unanimous decision. Aside from Stiverne and his jaw made of marble, not one dude has been able to withstand the seemingly inhuman power of Wilder. Only four foes have even made it into the fourth round against him.

Wilder uses his height and reach extremely well and he turns on his punches perfectly. If Wilder is able to land anything clean, the chances are extraordinarily high that if his opponent isn’t put to sleep, he’ll at least be stumbling all over the ring. Molina has power; Wilder has freakish power. Advantage: Wilder

Speed: Molina tends to throw nice combos and he often throws punches in bunches. But the one thing he tends to do at times is throw wide, winging shots. Those types of punches take a little bit longer to hit their target, making them slightly slower than straight shots.

Wilder, on the other hand, is deceptively quick with his attacks. Though he’s a massive, lumbering man with telephone pole-like limbs, he usually throws short, compact punches. Short, compact punches land quicker, come off with much more power and hit their targets sooner than the wide, winging types. Advantage: Wilder

Defense: Neither man will be mistaken for the second-coming of Pernell Whitaker or Willie Pep. But Molina and Wilder won’t be accused of being a pair giant Rocky Gannons, either. Molina’s defense is solid as he moves well for a big man and keeps his gloves up enough to block most of the attacks coming his way. He likely wouldn’t have gotten this far in career if his defense was as porous as Kurt Cobain’s arms, but if there is a chink in his defense, it’s his chin.

Granted, any heavyweight can knock out another heavyweight, but Molina’s been starched twice. The first time was in his pro debut back in 2007 on the Juan Manuel Marquez -- Marco Antonio Barrera undercard against Ashanti Jordan and then again in 2012 when Chris Arreola flattened him a few minutes into the fight. It’s unfair to label him as chinny, but considering he’s already been removed from consciousness twice and Wilder hasn’t even really been badly hurt in career, this one leans towards the local guy. Advantage: Wilder

Experience: Molina has been around the block for about eight years a pro where Wilder began his paid boxing venture a year later. Wilder has a larger amateur background and he’s fought more times on bigger stages. He’s already headlined a major card in Vegas at the MGM and he captured a portion of the heavyweight championship. Wilder has also tangoed with solid contenders and former titlists like Stiverne, Audley Harrison, Malik Scott, Siarhei Liakhovich and Owen “What the Heck” Beck.

As for Molina, he’s taken on Arreola and Williamson and a bunch of lower-level blokes. Next to the power differential, this is the biggest landslide category of the fight. This is without question the biggest fight of Molina’s career where this really should be a stay-busy affair for the Alabaman. Advantage: Wilder

Intangibles: The one thing that is going for Molina more than anything else is that virtually nobody thinks he has a chance in this fight to pull off the upset. He’s got nothing to lose so he might as well go for broke and see what happens.

In reality, Wilder is the one with everything to lose. He’s supposed to land a shot with Klitschko later in the year (hopefully) and the notion in the sport is that he is the one to finally take the torch from Wlad and bring it back to America.

If Wilder messes up against Molina and loses, his career will likely be over. As ridiculous as that sounds, he will immediately become the next in a long line of heavyweight frauds who somehow fell into having a championship belt around his waist. He can ill afford any mistakes and considering he’s making the first defense of his title in front of his hometown, he might be too distracted. All the pressure should be on him and time will tell on whether he cracks. Advantage: Molina

The Bottom line: Wilder is not going to fold under the pressure against a guy like Molina. As solid a contender as the Texan is, Wilder is the prohibitive favorite for a reason. Though Molina is a stout 6-foot-4, Wilder still towers over him, throws better punches, has better defense, and has unfathomable power in his fists. It’ll be a shock if Wilder doesn’t take him out within three rounds and then hopefully he’ll call out Klitschko, essentially forcing that fight to be made.