Sam Eggington ‘getting close’ to world title shot after victory over Molina

The Stourbridge boxer, a former British and European champion at welterweight, believes he is closing in on a world title shot after marking his arrival at middleweight with a solid showing against the Mexican.

Victory in Coventry earned Eggington the WBC silver belt and boosted the 27-year-old’s ranking.

He said: “I know I’m getting very close to a world title shot now.

“I’m happy to box at middleweight or super-welter, wherever and whenever the best opportunities present themselves.”

Molina, a former IBF super-welterweight champion who has never been stopped in his career, showed his quality by catching Eggington with several second round hooks. But it was the home fighter’s jab which quickly became the dominant punch of the fight, providing Eggington a level of control.

Molina, however, proved impossible to move. The 37-year-old was down in the 11th round but it was ruled a slip, Eggington eventually having to settle for a comfortable win on all three scorecards 116-112, 119-109 and 117-111.

He said: “I felt like I needed a sledgehammer to move him. I tried to hit him with big shots, he went back a few times but never wobbled. He was teak tough.

“I’m just waiting for the phone to ring. Wherever the opportunities are, I’ll be there. I’m only getting better and I am enjoying my boxing. I knew Mexicans were tough, but that was a good solid test for me. He was experienced and knew how to shrug things off.”

Josh Taylor vowed to keep making history after becoming Scotland’s first undisputed world champion for 50 years.

Taylor emulated his hero and mentor Ken Buchanan by scoring a unanimous points win over Jose Ramirez and adding the American’s two super-lightweight belts to the two titles he already held, along with the coveted Ring Magazine belt. The 30-year-old became only the fifth man to simultaneously hold all titles since the four-belt era officially began in 2004 and the first British boxer to do so.

The Prestonpans boxer had unified two titles when beating Regis Prograis in the World Boxing Super Series final in October 2019 and he aims to further build on his incredible 18-fight professional career.

After putting the powerful Ramirez on the canvas in consecutive rounds, Taylor said: “I still don’t feel like I have reached my full potential. I still feel I have more things to achieve. I could happily retire today and say that’s me done, boxing, thanks very much, I have ticked all the boxes I set out to do, I have won the jackpot, I have done the whole thing. But the desire is in here to do more, keep fighting, to keep proving.

“Until I feel I don’t think I could do any better, I am going to keep going and going. I am hungry for more all the time.”

Taylor could now be set to fight Chorley’s Jack Catterall, who had been the mandatory challenger for the WBO belt that Ramirez put on the line, but bigger fights await, possibly at welterweight (147lbs).

The 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist has never been wary of taking on the best - he has ended the unbeaten records of his last five opponents.

“We will see what comes my way, I am not going to be short of options,” he said. “Every fight is going to be huge. I will just ride the wave.

“I would like to go up to 147 and chase a real, real big fight like Terence Crawford. I am not going to call him out, he is a great fighter, but two undisputed champions going at it at 147 would be awesome.

“There’s big fights at 140. I am not afraid to fight anybody. We might have to fight Catterall first as well, he agreed to step aside to let this fight happen so if we have to do that next, we have to do that next, but if something bigger comes along, we might have to do that.

“I’ve not boxed in my home city for a few years so I would love to take a big fight back to Scotland. Now is the time to get that fight at Edinburgh Castle or Easter Road.

“I know they will have me at Easter Road, they have said it to me a few times, but I’d love to fight at Edinburgh Castle, it would be iconic to have the castle lit up in the background.”

Buchanan never got that chance to defend his titles in the Scottish capital after returning from Los Angeles with two belts in 1971, although he got to headline Madison Square Gardens ahead with Muhammad Ali on the undercard.

Now Taylor plans to visit the former lightweight champion, who is living in a care home in Edinburgh, and show off his belts.

Asked to give a message to the former champion, Taylor said: “Ken Buchanan, what an inspiration you have been to me since I was 18-19 years old, since I walked through the door at Lochend Boxing Club with my coach Terry (McCormack), who has been like a dad to me.

“Kenny has given me advice on how to train, how to live life, and how to dedicate myself to the sport.

“He saw me boxing a couple of times as an amateur in the bags and sparring and he said I could be world champion.

“And I have proved him right. I am just like him, I am so proud I can go back home and see him and say ‘I’m just like you champ’.”