Caballero lifts IBF title
Sunday, 23 November 2008
ORILLIA, Nov 22(AFP): Panama's Celestino Caballero registered a fourth round technical knockout of Steve Molitor, taking the Canadian's IBF super bantamweight title belt at the Casino Rama Friday.
Caballero (31-2, 22 KOs) also successfully defended his World Boxing Association belt and handed the Canadian his first career loss. It was Caballero's 12th consecutive victory.
The 32-year-old was booed on his way to the ring by the crowd, which was stunned at the result in the first unification bout ever on Canadian soil.
Fighting in his native province of Ontario, Molitor (28-1) had no answer for Caballero's strength and relentless pressure from the opening bell.
Caballero worked the body in the first round and confidently used his jab and landed combinations in the second and third.
Molitor just could not hurt his bigger opponent enough to stop him from coming forward, and Caballero landed a crushing uppercut early in the fourth round that sent "The Canadian Kid" to the canvas.
Caballero (31-2, 22 KOs) also successfully defended his World Boxing Association belt and handed the Canadian his first career loss. It was Caballero's 12th consecutive victory.
The 32-year-old was booed on his way to the ring by the crowd, which was stunned at the result in the first unification bout ever on Canadian soil.
Fighting in his native province of Ontario, Molitor (28-1) had no answer for Caballero's strength and relentless pressure from the opening bell.
Caballero worked the body in the first round and confidently used his jab and landed combinations in the second and third.
Molitor just could not hurt his bigger opponent enough to stop him from coming forward, and Caballero landed a crushing uppercut early in the fourth round that sent "The Canadian Kid" to the canvas.