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Cornelius “K9” Bundrage ( 33-5 19KOs) will get another crack at the IBF Junior Middleweight title as he will challenge defending champion Carlos Molina( 22-5-2 6KOs) on or before September 6 in Cancun, Mexico after both camps reached an agreement to co-promote the fight.
Avoiding the Purse Bid
Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing , the promoter of Molina and Bundgrage’s K-9 Promotions have reached an agreement to co-promote the bout and avoid the June 24 purse bid which was ordered by the IBF. Both camps had initially failed to reach a deal, with Bundrage’s advise Bill Waller citing that Margules was unable to guarantee that his fighter, Molina would “show up for the fight” if it happened on American soil after his legal woes in the USA.
Molina was jailed in Las Vegas earlier this year on an outstanding warrant for “failing to register as a sex offender for a past conviction”. While in prison, it was also discovered that Molina entered the US illegally, and that caused his deportation to Mexico after his release on May 28. Molina has been training there while he is working out his immigration documents.
With the fight now in Mexico, it’s all systems go for this mandatory title match.
Reclaiming the Gold
Bundrage will be fighting for the same belt he lost to Ishe Smith via majority decision on February 23, 2013. He bounced back earlier this year by winning the IBF title eliminator against Joey Hernandez via unanimous decision and earn this title shot.
Bundrage started to make a name for himself in 2006 as a participant in the second season of ESPN’s Contender reality boxing series. Bundrage lost to Steve Forbes in the semifinals but redeemed himself by winning the bronze medal match against Norberto Bravo via spectacular 7th round KO.
Pride of Detroit
After a long and hard fought career, Bundrage finally got his first crack at a world title on August 7, 2010 against former undisputed Junior Middleweight champion and then current IBF Junior Middleweight champion Cory Spinks. Bundrage traveled to Spinks’ hometown and literally took the title away in five rounds when he knocked out Spinks. Bundrage not only won the title but he became the first Detroit native in 26 years to hold a world boxing title since Thomas “Hitman” Hearns.
After defending the title against Sechew Powell in 2011, Bundrage fought Spinks in a rematch in his second title defense on June 30, 2012. Bundrage started out hot, decking Spinks in Round 1. Bundrage again knocked down Spinks three times in Round 7 to earn a TKO victory.
Bundrage was eyeing a unification bout with Canelo Alvarez last year when he ran into Ishe Smith and lost the belt. But barely a year later, he has a chance to win the belt again at age 41.
The New 25
Last March, Bundrage told RingTV that turning 41 is just a number. He said that 40 is the new 25, citing the ageless wonder Bernard Hopkins and heavyweight Tony Thompson. Bundrage added that pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr is three years away from being 40 and yet ” he’s looking better than ever.” Bundrage went on to say that he is a “fresh 40” and that he’s never “suffered a beatdown in the ring”. He believes that he can fight until 47 or 48 if he wants to.
Bundrage also boasted that when he first won the title, he took it from Cory Spinks in his hometown.
Three months after that interview, Bundrage found out that he’ll be challenging Molina in Mexico later this year. He’ll have to take back his IBF belt from another champion’s hometown to prove that 41 is just another number.
