Molitor makes the most of setback

It took an aborted workout, an expedited trip to the doctor and a bone scan to figure out what had been nagging at IBF junior featherweight Steve Molitor, but when he finally learned he had suffered a stress fracture that would postpone a scheduled title defence in England, "The Canadian Kid" didn't feel disappointed.

He felt relieved.

At least now he knew what the problem was and had directions on how to solve it.

And there was indeed a problem.

 

When he's healthy Molitor runs 10km daily, and that's just where his training starts. He also performs the rope jumping that has long been part of boxing workouts, and plyometric drills designed to enhance explosiveness.

But by early this week the gnawing pain in his left shin had grown so intense the 30-year-old boxer hard to cut short a shadowboxing session, the first time in 20 years in the sport Molitor had ever bailed on a workout.

When that happened Molitor knew he needed medical help, and knew too that he'd be better off postponing the fight then nursing the injury and entering the ring unprepared on July 23.

"I've hear my hand before and kept going, and had other injuries and kept going but this pain was unbearable," Molitor said Tuesday night. "I'm definitely bummed out but it is what it is and I'm glad we have a chance to reschedule the fight. I'm going to...give this injury time to heal, comeback and train healthy and put on a good performance."

The injury will sideline Molitor for six weeks and though he's not on crutches doctors have forbidden him from running, sparring and anything else that keeps him on his feet too long. 

That includes hitting a punching bag. Earlier Thursday Molitor and trainer Chirs Johnson sat on stools as the two-time IBF champ whacked target mitts. 

No, it's not ideal, but Molitor prefers it to doing nothing.

 

"You can't really get a real work out or a true sense of feel when you're sitting there on the chair hitting the pads but (I do it) just to stay busy and keep my mind right," he said.

Before the postponement Molitor had been scheduled to face England's Jason Booth on July 23 in the U.K. That bout has now been rescheduled to September 10 in Sunderland England.

Molitor has had success in the U.K. in the past. He's undefeated in three fights in England, including a 12-round decision over Booth's brother Nicky in 2002, and a 5th round knockout over Michael Hunter to claim the IBF title in November 2006.