Joshua vs Molina: The Panel debate the danger of Anthony Joshua overlooking Eric Molina
Haye, Bellew, Nelson, Smith, Moore and Coldwell
Friday 9 December 2016 17:05, UK
Is Anthony Joshua focusing on future fights rather than Eric Molina? The Panel discuss how overlooking an opponent can cause disaster.
David Haye
No, I don't believe so, he is a professional athlete, he is an Olympic gold medallist, he is a world heavyweight champion and at this stage of his career there is no chance of him overlooking anybody.
Everybody is a dangerman, everybody realises there is a pot of gold at the end of this fight.
Everybody is a dangerman, everybody realises there is a pot of gold at the end of this fight. They can change their lives forever and it is something that all fighters at world level understand.
Paul Smith
I don't think so. Everybody is talking about Joshua at the moment - David Haye and Tony Bellew had an argument over him, Deontay Wilder mentions him, Wladimir Klitschko wants him. They all want Joshua but he doesn't bite, he just gets on with the job in front of him. So I don't think there will be any problems about overlooking this one. I think he willl have his sights set firmly, knowing the Klitschko fight could happen.
I have always had the attitude that the next fight is the biggest one of your career. I've still got that attitude. Every fight that you have, you could lose and the wheels come off. 'If I lose this fight, there isn't a way back' - I've said that many times. Every fight is the biggest fight I've had, so I won't ever overlook anyone.
Tony Bellew
There's not a chance Joshua will make that mistake. He is far too professional and Rob McCracken is not only a fantastic coach, he is far too diligent to let anything slip. It's happened to me a few times because throughout my career I have always had the carrot dangled in front of me and it's put my mind in the wrong place.
The worst one was the Roberto Bolonti fight back in 2012. I was on the verge of getting a shot at the WBC title and I fought him for the Sliver title and ended up with a six-inch gash across my eyes. I got that bad cut because I was hell-bent on just getting rid of Bolonti to get the shot rather than treat it like any other fight, because I knew he was dangerous. I just basically underestimated him.
I ended up with a six-inch gash across my eyes. I got that bad cut because I was hell-bent on just getting rid of Bolonti.
Dave Coldwell
I think Joshua is a real professional. He has a very professional team surrounding him. He always seems one of the most focused guys out there, he doesn't get wrapped up in anything beyond what is right in front of him. So I don't think there's any danger of that whatsoever.
We always make sure that we treat every fight as the most important. It's my belief that, just because you've got something big around the corner, if you don't overcome the next obstacle you won't get there.
Boxing is never a formality because when you fight someone who is just a tune-up, he knows that he can gate-crash. Sometimes fighters don't perform, not because they take the fight lightly, but because they feel the pressure of not making a mistake.
Jamie McDonnell doesn't like those kind of fights. He can struggle to raise his game. But it's part of the game, and it's what fighters have to do.
Jamie Moore
I don't think Joshua will overlook him - he's professional enough, and switched on enough, not to do that. He'd be silly to. Usually you see things like that really early on, when fighters are too confident, or later on in a career when a fighter takes their eye off the ball and becomes complacent.
Joshua is too new into his reign as IBF champion to overlook Molina, and there's bigger things on the horizon.
I don't think that's the case with AJ. He's too new into his reign as IBF champion to overlook Molina, and there's bigger things on the horizon. That can be a factor sometimes, but I don't think those things will affect him yet.
I wouldn't say overlooked, but one fighter that I struggled with was Andrew Facey. I defended my British title twice against him, and both were slogs. Even after the first fight when I struggled, I put it down to myself. The second time, I made the same mistake again! He was more awkward and tricky that I gave him credit for.
Johnny Nelson
Joshua was hoping this would be against Wladimir Klitschko, had to settle for Molina, but I don't think there is a chance of overlooking him. There is maybe a chance of Joshua underestimating him, but the AJ I know is very professional, gets the job done.
I hope we see a clinical, destructive display from AJ. We've seen him progress, seen his punch power, improving with every fight, hence why Haye, Klitschko and Shannon Briggs are all coming [to watch from] ringside. They realise it is better to fight this guy as soon as possible, before he fights more opponents, gets more experience, and improves.
I have taken my eye off the ball before. I got a draw against Guillermo Jones, personally I thought I lost. Regardless of what he achieved I didn't think he was anything special, he was a bit of a handful at the time, the first and last time I made such a mistake at that level.
Watch Anthony Joshua v Eric Molina at the Manchester Arena, on December 10, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book the event via your Sky remote or online here.
