Deontay Wilder makes his first world title defence against Eric Molina

We take a closer look at Eric Molina, the man who takes on WBC heavyweight world champion - and self-proclaimed 'new Mayweather' - Deontay Wilder...

Where does he come from?

He is a Mexican-American, who is from Raymondsville, Texas - the same state that gave us the one and only George Foreman... although he was born the small matter of 461 miles away, in Marshall.

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What's his record like then? Anything like Foreman's?

Err not quite, but not many are! Molina has been a professional for over eight years and has a record of 23-2, with 17 KOs showing the boy can bang a bit.

What's all this 'Drummer Boy' nickname stuff about? Molina hinted before that it was because the drummer boys lead an army into battle. If that's not true, it remains a bit of a mystery...

So has he won anything? Obviously not the same titles as Foreman, but...

Nothing major. He won the WBC Latino crusierweight title in 2009, out-pointing Gabriel Holguin over 10 rounds. He also won the WBC United States heavyweight title, stopping Warren Browning in three and then going on to face Chris Arreola.

Hang on - Chris Arreloa? I've heard of him...

He flattened Molina in 30 seconds and then went on to fight Bermane Stiverne for the WBC silver heavyweight title, lost on points but then got the chance to avenge the defeat, this time for the vacant WBC heavyweight title itself. 

Isn't that what Molina is fighting for at the weekend then?

Correct. Stiverne stopped Arreola in six to win the world title but then next in line was Wilder, who put on a boxing masterclass to take the belt and cement his reputation as the new heavyweight hope in America.

So Molina has no chance of winning that WBC then?

Heavyweights always have a chance. One punch is all it takes and although it was more evident in his early days, he can punch.

What do you mean 'in his early days'?

He's only stopped two of his last five opponents but he can box. He went the eight-round distance with Raphael Zumbano Love in January. Love was blown away by Anthony Joshua but hadn't been stopped in his previous seven defeats.

Has he been flattened as well?

Other than Arreola, yes, but if you ever want a heavyweight boxer to show you 'bouncebackability', go to Molina. He was sparked in his very first professional fight in March 2007 by Ashley Jordan - in just 75 seconds! There was a bit of a crowd there to see it at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas too, because Juan Manuel Marquez was fighting Marco Antonio Barrera on the same card.

Deontay Wilder's a big puncher, but I feel that I'm a big puncher also, so I think that it's very important to be ready from the first bell.

So he's mixed it with some of Mexico's best but they rarely produce heavyweights, so how does he match up with Wilder?

Few - maybe only Wladimir Klitschko and our own Anthony Joshua - heavyweights have the physical stature of the Bronzed Bomber, but Molina is not miles behind. He is 6' 4" compared to Wilder's 6' 7" and has a reach of 79" that is only four inches shorter.

So has he got a chance of causing an upset or not?

Well, he is game and he comes from the same state as George Foreman. Molina himself put it well when he said: "Anything could happen at any given second. It's a heavyweight world title fight."

Not to be confused with?

Erik Morales, Carlos Molina (Mexican light-middleweight) and Carlos Molina (American lightweight).