| Éric Molina | |
| Realname: | Éric Lee Molina |
| Nickname: | Drummer Boy |
| Weight: | |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in |
| Reach: | 79 in |
| Nationality: | Mexican-American |
| Birth Date: | 26 April 1982 |
| Birth Place: | Raymondville, Texas, U.S. |
| Style: | Orthodox |
| Total: | 38 |
| Wins: | 29 |
| Ko: | 21 |
| Losses: | 9 |
Éric Lee Molina (born April 26, 1982) is a Mexican-American professional boxer. He has challenged twice for a world heavyweight title, in 2015 and 2016.[1]
Molina turned professional on March 17, 2007, losing his first professional bout by knockout. Despite losing his first pro bout, Molina went on an 18-fight unbeaten streak. On January 18, 2012, he stepped up and fought former two-time world heavyweight title challenger Chris Arreola. Despite losing the fight by first-round knockout, Molina did manage to hurt Arreola. Two and a half years later in May 2014, Molina scored his biggest professional career win by stopping former world heavyweight title challenger DaVarryl Williamson in five rounds.
On June 13, 2015, he fought for the WBC world heavyweight title against defending champion Deontay Wilder. Molina hurt the champion during the early rounds, but was knocked out in the ninth round. Molina scored the biggest win of his entire professional career in April 2016 by stopping former two-weight world champion Tomasz Adamek in the tenth round. Later that year, on December 10, he challenged for the IBF heavyweight title against champion Anthony Joshua in Manchester, England. Molina lost by third-round knockout.
On May 22, 2018, Molina was suspended from fighting in the United Kingdom for two years by the UK Anti-Doping organisation after testing positive for the prohibited substance dexamethasone, a substance that the World Anti-Doping Agency lists as being prohibited during the "in competition" period only,[2] following his December 10, 2016 world title fight with Anthony Joshua. The suspension will run from the date of an imposed provisional suspension, which began on October 28, 2017, and will end at midnight on October 27, 2019.[3]
On November 4, 2017, Molina, ranked #12 by the WBC at heavyweight, faced WBO #3, WBC #6 and IBF #7 Dominik Breazeale.[4] In the eighth round, Breazeale caught Molina with a right hand to Molina's side of his head, which prompted Molina to take a knee. Molina managed to beat the count, but didn't look fit enough to continue. Despite making it to the end of the round, Molina's corner decided to stop the fight.[5]
On December 7, 2019, Molina faced Filip Hrgovic, ranked #9 by the WBA and the IBF and #11 by the WBC.[6] Hrgovic dominated the fight, and finished Molina in the third.[7]
In his next fight, Molina fought heavyweight prospect Fabio Wardley. Molina caught Wardley with a right hand in the fifth round, which prompted Wardley to retaliate and floor Molina. Molina would not beat the count and Wardley was awarded the KO win against Molina.[8]
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Loss | 29–9 |  Simon Kean | TKO | 7 (10), | Mar 23, 2023 | | ||
| 37 | Win | 29–8 |  Jose Castro | RTD | 3 (8), | Jul 30, 2022 |  | ||
| 36 | Loss | 28–8 | Alen Babić | KO | 2 (8), | Oct 30, 2021 | |||
| 35 | Win | 28–7 |  Alejandro de La Torre | KO | 3 (8), | Aug 28, 2021 | | ||
| 34 | Loss | 27–7 | Fabio Wardley | KO | 5 (10), | Mar 27, 2021 |  | ||
| 33 | Loss | 27–6 | Filip Hrgović | KO | 3 (12), | Dec 7, 2019 | |||
| 32 | Win | 27–5 |  Nick Guivas | UD | 6 | Feb 15, 2019 | | ||
| 31 | Loss | 26–5 | Dominic Breazeale | RTD | 8 (12), | Nov 4, 2017 | | ||
| 30 | Win | 26–4 | Jamal Woods | 6 | Sep 2, 2017 | | |||
| 29 | Loss | 25–4 | Anthony Joshua | TKO | 3 (12), | Dec 10, 2016 | |||
| 28 | Win | 25–3 |  Tomasz Adamek | KO | 10 (12), | Apr 2, 2016 | | ||
| 27 | Win | 24–3 | Rodricka Ray | TKO | 6 (6), | Sep 10, 2015 | | ||
| 26 | Loss | 23–3 | Deontay Wilder | KO | 9 (12), | Jun 13, 2015 | | ||
| 25 | Win | 23–2 |  Raphael Zumbano Love | TKO | 8 (8), | Jan 17, 2015 | | ||
| 24 | Win | 22–2 | Theo Kruger | TKO | 3 (6), | Aug 2, 2014 | | ||
| 23 | Win | 21–2 | DaVarryl Williamson | TKO | 5 (10), | May 10, 2014 | | ||
| 22 | Win | 20–2 | Tony Grano | UD | 12 | Apr 27, 2013 | | ||
| 21 | Win | 19–2 | Andrew Greeley | UD | 6 | Jun 16, 2012 | | ||
| 20 | Loss | 18–2 | Chris Arreola | KO | 1 (12), | Feb 18, 2012 | | ||
| 19 | Win | 18–1 | Warren Browning | TKO | 3 (12), | Aug 13, 2011 | | ||
| 18 | Win | 17–1 | Joseph Rabotte | TKO | 6 (6), | Mar 12, 2011 | | ||
| 17 | Win | 16–1 | Rayford Johnson | UD | 6 | Dec 10, 2010 | | ||
| 16 | Win | 15–1 | Leo Bercier | 3 (6), | Sep 30, 2010 | | |||
| 15 | Win | 14–1 | Chris Thomas | TKO | 4 (10), | Jun 18, 2010 | | ||
| 14 | Win | 13–1 | Andrew Greeley | UD | 6 | Feb 6, 2010 | | ||
| 13 | Win | 12–1 | Gabriel Holguin | UD | 10 | Sep 10, 2009 | | ||
| 12 | Win | 11–1 | Clinton Bonds | KO | 1 (4), | Jun 19, 2009 | | ||
| 11 | Win | 10–1 | Osvaldo Martinez | TKO | 3 (8), | May 15, 2009 | | ||
| 10 | Win | 9–1 | Rayford Johnson | TKO | 3 (8), | Feb 27, 2009 | | ||
| 9 | Win | 8–1 | David Robinson | TKO | 1 (8), | Sep 18, 2008 | | ||
| 8 | Win | 7–1 | Douglas Robertson | 4 | Jul 4, 2008 | | |||
| 7 | Win | 6–1 | Anthony Greeley | TKO | 1 (6), | Jun 21, 2008 | | ||
| 6 | Win | 5–1 | Isaac Ruiz | TKO | 2 (6), | Mar 28, 2008 | | ||
| 5 | Win | 4–1 | Robbie McClimans | TKO | 2 (8), | Dec 20, 2007 | | ||
| 4 | Win | 3–1 | Brad Bowers | TKO | 1 (4), | Sep 26, 2007 | | ||
| 3 | Win | 2–1 | Ras Thompson | KO | 2 (4), | Aug 10, 2007 | | ||
| 2 | Win | 1–1 | Tim Harris | 1 (4), | Jun 22, 2007 | | |||
| 1 | Loss | 0–1 | Ashanti Jordan | 1 (4), | Mar 17, 2007 | |