Steve Molitor was born in Ontario, Canada, and began boxing as a youngster, following in his older brother Jeremy’s footsteps by taking up the sport.
Steve fought over 100 fights at the amateur level, winning a hefty percentage and acquiring numerous national titles before narrowly missing out on the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
After the disappointment of the Olympic Trials, Steve decided to turn professional and, in May 2000, defeated Julio Luna in an eight-round contest via unanimous decision.
This would set Steve up on an unbeaten, five-year, twenty-one-fight winning streak as he picked up the Canadian Super-Bantamweight and Commonwealth, WBF, and NABA Bantamweight Titles, beating British hot prospect Nicky Booth in his home country along the way.
Steve had already beaten another Briton, John Mackay, on his home soil two years before traveling to the UK for the third time to challenge Michael Hunter for the vacant IBF Super-Bantamweight Title in November 2006.
Molitor had too much class for the unbeaten Brit and knocked Hunter down in the fourth before dispatching his opponent in the fifth round of a dominant performance to claim the vacant world title.
“The Canadian Kid” would then have home comforts as he defended the title four times in just over a year, out-pointing world-class operators Fahsan Battery, Ricardo Castillo, and the previously undefeated Ceferino Labarda via a tenth-round TKO.
In late 2008, Steve had the opportunity to become a unified super-bantamweight champion, again on home soil in Ontario, against Panamanian WBA Champion Celestino Caballero.
After losing all three opening rounds, Steve was in trouble from the off and suffered a knockdown in the fourth before getting in trouble on the ropes. Referee Luis Pabon stepped in somewhat controversially to end the contest and inflict Steve’s first defeat.
Steve took seven months out of the ring to reflect before being given a chance to become the number two contender for his old IBF Title by defeating Heriberto Ruiz, which he duly did with a split decision victory.
He followed that up with a KO victory over blown-up super-flyweight Feliciano Ledesma and out-pointed Jose Saez two months later to earn himself the chance to reclaim his title.
His opponent would be Takalani Ndlovu, whom Steve had beaten before with a ninth-round TKO defense of his IBF title in 2007. They would now face off again for the title vacated by Molitor’s only conqueror, Celestino Caballero.
The fight took place at Steve’s familiar Casino Rama in Ontario. Over twelve hard rounds, Steve reclaimed his IBF Super-Bantamweight Title with a 116-112, 117-111, 115-113 points victory to become a two-time world champion.
In September 2010, Steve was offered the chance to travel to Great Britain to take on Jason Booth, ironically the brother of Nicky, who Steve had out-pointed in 2002 for the Commonwealth Title.
In a tough contest in which Steve was cut in the third round, Molitor showed the classier work and took a majority points decision from the brave Briton to claim his fourth win in four fights in the UK.
With only one defeat in his 34-fight pro career to date, Steve Molitor continues to be one of the world’s top super-bantamweights, but moving up a weight in the future would not be beyond “The Canadian Kid.”
Steve Molitor interview
(ROUND 1) How did you first get into boxing, Steve?
“My older brother had started boxing a year before me, and I just followed in his footsteps.”
(ROUND 2) What was your Amateur record?
“I had roughly 130 fights and won just over 100.”
(ROUND 3) Who influenced you as a young boxer?
“My older brother was a 10-time national champion, so I always competed with him.”
(ROUND 4) Who is the most formidable opponent you have faced?
“I have fought many tough guys in my 20-plus years of boxing, but I’d have to say the Cuban national champion I fought as an amateur and Celestino Caballero!”
(ROUND 5) Who would you want to fight in the future?
“Anyone that the fans want to see me fight!”
(ROUND 6) Which fight do people ask you about most?
“People always ask me what it’s like to fight in England, as the fans always passionately support their own fighter and are hostile towards any outsiders.”
(ROUND 7) What is the best fight you have seen?
“Lucien Bute v Librado Andrade in 2008.”
(ROUND 8) You seem to like fighting in the UK. Are there any UK boxers who excite you at the moment?
“Well, I was hoping to fight the UK’s Rendall Munroe, but after his loss to Toshiaki Nishioka, I may have to fight him to unify the titles.”
(ROUND 9) What’s your motivation?
“My family and to make them proud of me. Plus, the money I get to support them and give them a better life, along with the challenge of hand-to-hand combat against someone who thinks they can beat you, that’s all the motivation I need.”
(ROUND 10) What would you change in boxing?
“Nothing. I like it the way it is.”
(ROUND 11) Mayweather or Pacquiao?
“Mayweather, Hands Down.” (5-0 in the WBN series)
(ROUND 12) And finally… tell us something we don’t know about Steve Molitor.
I am very private; I like spending my free time with my wife and two kids (1 on the way), and I also love to golf any and every chance I get.
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