By Luis Sandoval

Reigning WBC Lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco is preparing for his second title defense as he takes on the hard hitting John Molina Jr on September 8th at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA.

The fight is an enticing one as both men have a fan friendly style and pack a hell of a punch. It’s almost hard to envision this fight going the distance but DeMarco actually wouldn’t mind if this fight reached the final bell. He loves to mix it up and give the fans a great show and if it meant going the full 12 rounds, he’s all for it.

“I think with the hunger we both have, I’ll be honest, I prefer the fight to go 12 rounds because that’s what makes me happy” said DeMarco with a smile. “I hope it lasts the 12 rounds and we give the fans a tremendous fight”.

Both fighters have proven they posses power as well as resiliency that has allowed them to come back in dramatic fashion in fights they were losing. For DeMarco it was against the highly touted Jorge Linares and for Molina it was against Hank Lundy. While DeMarco would love to provide everyone with 12 rounds of action, a knockout in this fight is still a high possibility.

Even though the chances of the fight ending early are favorable, DeMarco will not be looking for a knockout but instead let it happen on its own.

“I’ve always said the knockout comes on its own. First you try to implement your strategy and do what you did in preparation. If the knockout comes great but if it doesn’t, that’s fine too” DeMarco would tell BoxingScene.

Molina is definitely a formidable foe for DeMarco and will come in determined with this being his first opportunity to win a world title. Despite Molina’s power and other physical attributes, DeMarco is more concerned with an intangible trait.

“What worries me the most about him is the hunger he has. The hunger to win because when it comes to fighters, they are all difficult. But his hunger and enthusiasm to become a world champion, I was in his shoes when I faced Jorge Linares” revealed the Tijuana southpaw.

While we are almost guaranteed to see a war in the ring, outside the squared circle both men have shown each other nothing but the upmost respect. DeMarco even congratulated and wished Molina luck on him expecting his first baby (a baby girl). It’s what we’ve come to expect from DeMarco; a humble, likable gentleman outside the ring but an all action beast inside.

You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @Truewest007. You can also tune in to The Boxing Lab, BoxingScene’s official audio show every Tuesday from 6-8PM PST with hosts Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval, and Ryan Burton.