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Fearless Molitor pulverises 'The Panther'

Steve "The Canadian Kid" Molitor isn't afraid of anybody.

Steve "The Canadian Kid" Molitor isn't afraid of anybody.

"I'm willing and ready to fight anybody," said Molitor after dominating and finally stopping South African champion Takalani "The Panther" Ndlovu by TKO in the ninth round in the first defence of his IBF junior featherweight championship on Saturday night.

Trainer Chris Johnson jubilantly applied a bearhug in congratulating his fighter as the standing capacity Casino Rama crowd of 5200 roared its approval.

Molitor, from Sarnia, Ontario, and now a resident of Mississauga, Ontario, was slightly ahead on points before pounding Ndlovu into submission in the ninth with his explosive power.

Molitor improved to 24-0 and Ndlovu slipped to 27-4. There were shouts of encouragement and advice for the 27-year-old champion, a 120-pound bundle of energy, throughout the bout.

Molitor felled Ndlovu with a left to the head 30 seconds into the ninth round. He put him down again with a right and referee Hubert Earl of Halifax gave Ndlovu a standing count. Molitor then delivered the finishing touch, hammering the South African with a solid right to the jaw to send him down for the final time with 1:14 remaining in the round.

"I know anybody can come back in a fight, so when I had him hurt I just had to finish him until the ref jumped in to stop it," said Molitor.

The only round in which Ndlovu had a slight edge was the fifth. He wasn't going to take away Molitor's title without a more aggressive attack, but Molitor wouldn't allow it. Kgotso Motau suffered his first professional defeat when he lost his bout on points over six rounds - Canada East online

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