Molina in fight with Father Time

34-year-old ready for title bout

Masedonio Molina, right, of Wauseon, hammers Wade Tolle, Jr., in a fight in December.

The time is ticking for Masedonio “Nune” Molina and his professional boxing ambitions.

The Wauseon resident is 34 years old and remains as motivated and committed to boxing as he was when he was a promising amateur boxer more than 20 year ago.

The reality is, time is ticking on a late-blooming professional career in an occupation typically ruled by 20-somethings.

“It’s now or never because of my age,” Molina said.

The 168-pounder still has dreams of becoming a pro boxing champion. He’ll have his first chance at winning a professional championship on Saturday night when he fights in the main event of a scheduled eight-fight boxing card at the Best Western Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown Toledo.

It’s Molina (6-0, 6 KOs) facing Detroit’s Lane “The Pain” Staal (9-0, 4 KOs) for the Ohio super middleweight championship.

“It’s the ultimate goal,” Molina said of pursuing professional boxing titles. “I don’t need to fight to make the rent. I just love to fight.”

Molina, who turned pro seven years ago, works a full-time job and also spends many weekends working on the side as a disc jockey for hire. He also spends plenty of time helping raise his two children, daughter Shaylynn, 12, and son Drake, 11.

Molina finds time to train for boxing either early in the morning or late at night. It’s a routine that’s not been the easiest, but has been achievable.

“Boxing and training takes so much out of your life,” he said. “At 34 years old, I’m already at an age when most fighters retire by age 34.”

But that’s not in Molina’s immediate plans. He’s locked in on staying in the ring for a while. He believes his best days as a pro boxer are still ahead of him.

His impressive TKO of Monroe’s Wade Tolle, Jr., at the 2-minute, 59-second mark in the second round of a fight held in December at the Grand Plaza Hotel provided him with plenty of drive to keep pushing forward with his boxing career.

Molina bounced back from nearly getting knocked out by Tolle in the opening round before recovering and putting a stop to the fight in the second round.

“For me to win in that manner, it opened my eyes to the fact that I could make this happen before the run is over,” Molina said.

Molina officially turned pro at age 27 after a stellar amateur career that included seven Golden Gloves titles, three Silver Gloves titles, and a national Junior Olympics championship.

Toledo attorney and Purgatory FS boxing promoter Marty McManus believes Molina is on the right track to making his way up the boxing ranks and is the ideal local fighter to compete in the main event in boxing cards held in the Glass City.

“I think Nune will take it,” McManus said. “But they’re both undefeated with one 6-0 and the other 9-0.

“Overall, I think everyone [on the boxing card] is matched up very well.”

Other bouts scheduled to take place include Toledoan Anthony Kelly (0-5-2) taking on Antonio Urista (0-0) of Lansing, Mich.; Findlay’s Steve Cotterman (0-0) facing Michigan native Thad Burkhausen (1-0); and Toledo’s Bryan Smith (0-4) looking to earn his first pro victory against Monroe’s Drew “All Day” Morais (0-1).

Toledo’s Joe Bush and Lima’s Carlos Suarez are set to meet in a bout pitting two fighters making their pro debut.

Toledoans Tim Washington (2-2), Paul Parker (3-0), and Wesley Tucker (1-0) are also expected to fight on the card.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at 419-244-4400.

Contact Donald Emmons at: demmons@theblade.com, 419-724-6302, or on Twitter @DemmonsBlade.