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Ready or Not

Date	February 18, 1995
Venue	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
Title(s) on the line	WBO Lightweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer Oscar De La Hoya Juan Molina Nickname The Golden Boy John John Hometown East Los Angeles, California, U.S. Fajardo, Puerto Rico Purse $1,250,000 $300,000 Pre-fight record 16–0 (15 KO) 36–3 (26 KO) Age 22 years 31 years, 11 months Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) Weight 135 lb (61 kg) 134 lb (61 kg) Style Orthodox Orthodox Recognition WBO Lightweight champion The Ring No. 4 Ranked Lightweight IBF Super Featherweight champion The Ring No. 1 Ranked Super Featherweight 2-time Super Featherweight champion
Result
De La Hoya wins via unanimous decision (117–110, 116–111, 116–111)

Oscar De La Hoya vs. John John Molina, billed as Ready or Not was a professional boxing match contested on February 18, 1995, for the WBO lightweight title.

Background

For the first defense of his WBO lightweight title, reigning champion Oscar De La Hoya was matched up against 2-time super featherweight world champion, Juan "John John" Molina.

After having faced three consecutive marginal fringe contenders in his previous three title defenses, Molina represented a step up in competition for De La Hoya with Molina offering his opinion that cable network HBO, who exclusively broadcast De La Hoya's fights had "pressured Oscar to get an opponent with a name and a record." However, as Molina, a natural super featherweight who had spent his entire career in that division up to that point, was making his debut in the lightweight division, De La Hoya claimed that his fight with Molina "is going to be one of my easiest fights."

The fights

Toney vs. Griffin

The featured undercard bout featured James Toney, in his first fight since suffering his first professional loss at the hands of Roy Jones Jr., taking on undefeated light heavyweight prospect (and De La Hoya's 1992 Olympic teammate) Montell Griffin.

This was the third and final card in under a year to feature both De La Hoya and Toney as the headliners.

The fight

Griffin made use of his left hook and good movement to keep his Toney off balance and prevent him from land any counterpunches. Toney hurt Griffin with a counter right cross in the third round but he survived and kept up sticking close to Toney and tying him up in the corner.

The fight went the full 12 rounds, judge Duane Ford scored it even 114–114 while Bill Graham had it 115–113 and Art Lurie 116–112 both in favour of Griffin.

Unofficial HBO scorer Harold Lederman scored it 114–112 for Toney.

Aftermath

Speaking afterwards Griffin said "When he had me hurt, the way I survived is, I’m a low-keyed person, I stayed back until I got my legs back. Toney needs punching room. And I took that punching room away from him."

Toney meanwhile was unhappy with the judges saying "I thought I won the fight, it was a bad decision. I’ll be back. I beat the guy."

Main Event

De La Hoya scored a first-round knockdown midway through the round, countering a wild Molina right with a left hook that sent Molina down to a knee, but was unable to finish Molina off thereafter as Molina was able take De La Hoya the full 12-round distance for the first time in his career. De La Hoya nevertheless controlled the majority of the fight and won a comfortable unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the fight 116–111 and the third scoring it 117–110. Unofficial HBO scorer Harold Lederman scored it 114–113 for Molina.

Aftermath

De La Hoya's victory over Molina would officially set up a shot at his first major world title against IBF lightweight champion Rafael Ruelas.

Fight card

Confirmed bouts:

^Note 1 For WBO Lightweight title
^Note 2 For IBF Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight title

Broadcasting

Country	Broadcaster
United States	HBO

References

1. "Oscar De La Hoya vs. John John Molina". boxrec.com. BoxRec. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
2. Fighters’ Moment of Truth at Hand : Boxing: Oscar De La Hoya and John John Molina put their futures on the line in lightweight title bout., L.A. Times article, 1995-02-18, Retrieved on 2024-12-08
3. "International Boxing Federation official ratings as of January 1995". Ocala Star-Banner. Portsmouth, VA: International Boxing Federation. Associated Press. 10 January 1995. p. 2C. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
4. "Montell Griffin vs. James Toney (1st meeting)". boxrec.com. BoxRec. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
5. ^ Chris Dufresne (19 February 1995). "Judges Agree: De La Hoya Gets Decision Over Molina : Boxing: Winner gets some useful lessons in grueling 12-round bout, looks ahead to Ruelas. Griffin upsets Toney in battle of light-heavyweights". Los Angeles Times. Las Vegas. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
6. De La Hoya Wins a Decision, N.Y. Times article, 1995-02-19 Retrieved on 2024-12-05
7. De La Hoya Set for "Megafight", Chicago Tribune article, 1995-02-20, Retrieved on 2014-03-16
8. "BoxRec - event".

• 1995 in boxing
• 1995 in sports in Nevada
• February 1995 sports events in the United States
• Boxing matches at MGM Grand Garden Arena
• Boxing matches involving Oscar De La Hoya
• Boxing matches refereed by Mills Lane
• Boxing on HBO
• Lightweight championship matches