Entertaining heavyweight Alen ‘The Savage’ Babic 8-0 (8) has declared he wants to be knocked out ahead of his fight against veteran Eric Molina 28-7 (20) at the O2 Arena in London, England on Saturday night.
“I want to be knocked out,” the 30-year-old Croatian said at Thursday’s press conference to promote the fight. “How can you be fearful when I want to be defeated? I crave it, please somebody defeat me, I love it. I want to take the 0 from my record, I don’t like it. Fuck you, 0.
“I box for the average Joe. I don’t just want to box for the boxing fanatics, you will value me, it’s just a matter of time. Please come out and support me. I will give it all, I’ll be reckless.”
Molina has lost four of his last seven outings but those defeats came to more established fighters than Babic in Anthony Joshua, Dominic Breazeale, Filip Hrgovic and Fabio Wardley.
“I rate Molina for being here, but I don’t rate him as a tough test of mine,” Babic continued. “I really don’t think you can fight me on ten days’ notice.
“He said I don’t respect the heavyweight division, but he took the fight and training for what – to be a fitness trainer. I think I’m going to smash him and I’m going to do it for my brother Dillian Whyte.”
American Molina, 39, was the one at the press conference who initially labelled Babic reckless.
“I firmly believe that I have what it takes to knock this guy out on Saturday,” said Molina. “I look at him as a reckless fighter. I look at him as somebody that has no respect for the heavyweight division. This heavyweight division has a very brutal way of humbling fighters at different times.
“It’s a tough lesson that a lot of fighters have to learn. I’ve learnt it, Anthony Joshua has learnt it, Deontay Wilder has learnt it, the best of the best have learnt it. Babic is going to have to learn that one day to respect this division.
“He could throw 100 punches in one round. He’s going to need to throw 100 punches to get me out of there in one round. I’ve just got to throw one punch. One punch and I will devastatingly knock him out.
“No disrespect to the guys Babic has faced, he’s faced some tough guys. I think Babic is a tough fighter also, in the heavyweight division, I just don’t think he has the size for this division. I’ve seen some guys even myself, I’m small for this division.
“It’s the heavyweight division, you have to respect it and stay humble to it. It’s something I’ve learnt in the game, this fight I’ve got to use my experience and size to my advantage.
“He’s got one gear, he comes forward. I think that he’s a fan-friendly fighter because he’s reckless. When you’re reckless, you eventually run into a wreck, that’s what makes it exciting. I feel like my abilities, my counter punches, I think this fight leaves a big opportunity for me to win.
“If you look at all my fights, I’ve landed the big shot. I think Anthony Joshua was the only fight I didn’t. Even looking at the last fight with Wardley who I think is a great fighter also, he took my shots well, but I landed them all night. We’re going to see if he can take those shots on Saturday.”
