By James Agberebi:
Head coach of Nigeria national boxing team, Tony Konyegwachi, has tipped England-born Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua to defend his International Boxing Federation heavyweight title against American Eric Molina, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.
The fight is billed for the Manchester Arena, on Saturday December 10.
Joshua, 27, an Olympic gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympic Games, dethroned American Charles Martin in round two in April this year to become the IBF heavyweight champion.
This will be Joshua's second title defence after knocking out American boxer, Dominic Breazeale, in the seventh round in London in June.
Joshua go into his title defence on the back of 17 wins from 17 fights with all of them coming via knockouts.
On his part, Molina who is regarded as a genuine threat to Joshua's record, earned his world title shot by knocking out Poland's Tomasz Adamek in the tenth round of their fight for the IBF Inter-Continental strap in April.
Molina will be going for his second attempt at a world title after he lost to Deontay Wilder in a challenge for the WBC crown in June 2015.
Looking ahead to the Saturday's fight, Konyegwachi posited that Joshua's heavy punches will give him the advantage against Molina.
Konyegwachi also stated that Joshua's ambition to add the WBC title to the IBF title will spur him on to victory against his American opponent.
"Anthony Joshua is a great boxer. He is young and powerful," Konyegwachi told Completesportsnigeria.com.
"His ferocious punches will give him the edge over Eric Molina. Right now he is on top, and he wouldn't want anyone to stop him. So I believe he is going for victory.
"Right now Joshua wants to get to the top so as to contest for the World Boxing Council (WBC) title. So he wouldn't want anything to stop him. I know him as an amateur because while we were in London for the 2012 London Olympic Games, he sparred with my boxers, so I know him personally. He is a very strong and powerful boxer and I believe he will do real good."
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