Honorio Wins Decision Over Molina Jr. for NABF and NABO titles
Posted by Raymundo Dioses on 11.29.2009
Lightweight Molina Jr. loses for first time against Honorio in Showtime televised bout
Photos by Tom Casino / Showtime
Martin Honorio gained the NABF and NABO lightweight titles in a unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten John Molina Jr. on Saturday night at the Pechanga Resort and Casino on Saturday night.
Honorio, (27-4-1, 14KO) established a solid jab early that allowed him to set up punches and establish an early lead in the fight. Honorio showed great ring generalship and mixed his punches well to the head and body.
Molina Jr., (18-1, 14KO) fought a mostly flat footed fight and remained an open target for Honorio all night. It was the first loss for Molina as a professional, in what was expected to be a coming out party for the young Californian lightweight.
The judges scores were 99-91 twice and 98-92, all in favor for Honorio, who fought the best fight of his career in beating Molina. Honorio was elusive throughout the bout, landing his punches and showing good head movement and circling away from Molina through most of the fight. 411mania had the fight a shutout at 100-90.
"The weight difference was definitely a factor for the first few rounds, but I got more comfortable as the fight went on,'' Honorio said after the fight. "This is definitely the biggest win of my career. He hit me a few times but he never stunned or hurt me. But I felt like I was hurting him.
"I would love to give him a rematch, but only if the fight was made on my terms, at 130 pounds. I fought this one on his terms.''
Molina offered up his own explanation for his performance, adding:
"I had a battle out there today. The fact that I had the flu is no excuse. (But) I couldn't pull the trigger. I couldn't do what I wanted tonight.
"It hit me last minute. I slept until 5 p.m. today. I had the opportunity to pull out of the fight but I didn't because it was a sold out crowd and I had a responsibility because I am the favorite.
"Martin Honorio is a great fighter and he did well tonight. Am I satisfied? Absolutely not. Do I want a rematch? Yes.‘'
In a barn burner of a semi-main, which ultimately ended up being more of a competitive bout than the main event of the night, Rico Ramos earned a hard fought unanimous decision over Alejandro Perez.
Ramos, (14-0, 8KO) knocked down Perez for the first time in his career with a big right hand to end the second round. Perez had won the first round with solid punching, yet Ramos came on after the first frame, and used effective counter punching throughout the fight.
A succession of unanswered left hands in the 7th round from Ramos almost prompted the referee to stop the fight, yet Perez was able to last and made it the full eight rounds in what was an action packed fight.
Final scores were 78-73 and 80-71 twice for Ramos.
In a barn burner of a semi-main, which ultimately ended up being more of a competitive bout than the main event of the night, Rico Ramos earned a hard fought unanimous decision over Alejandro Perez. 
