Brave Booth comes up short against champion Molitor

Steve Molitor, a Canadian professional boxer

Jason Booth gallantly failed in his bid to win the IBF super bantamweight title from Canadian champion Steve Molitor last night at the Rainton Meadows Arena in Houghton-le-Spring, England. Judges scored the fight 116-113, 116-112 Molitor, with the third having it level at 114-114.

Even though Booth lost, he shown the fighting heart and desire that he has had to show in his personal life, over coming drink and drug problems in the past, and to be actually stood in the ring tonight fighting for a world title speaks volumes for the resolve of the Nottingham warrior.

But tonight Molitor (pictured left) had that little too much in the second half of the fight, which seemed to just sway the judges.

After Booth won the early rounds, with good foot work, quickly getting in and out and scoring well with good combination punching against Molitor, who seemed to look out of sorts and a little sluggish at times, but was able to end the rounds well as Booth got tired.

Southpaw Molitor who was cut early in the fight, is a seasoned well travelled champion and was able to work out Booths style. Booths was throwing more punches, but his power couldn’t shake the champion, who looked much bigger than Booth.

Molitor was accurate with his punches and his body shots were hurting Booth, who was to slow down with a result of them, which saw Molitor take command of the second half of the fight.

Afterwards a humble Booth admitted that whilst the fight was close, he had no arguments with the result and claimed that during the fight he had suffered a hand problem, but that Molitor’s body shots had extra power being the more natural at the weight, had caused him problems and slowed him down.

Jason Booth

“He’s a big lad and I could feel his strength as he came in and his extra power was stealing the rounds at the end.” said Booth.

“But skill wise I gave him a lot of problems in there – and I know he (Molitor) enjoyed that fight. I’m proud of myself after that performance” he added.

Moilior, known as The Canadian Kid, had previously beat Booth’s brother Nicky in 2002, before returning in 2006 to stop Michael Hunter in five rounds, winning his first world title, extends his record to (33-1, 12 KO)

“He came with a good game plan,(Booth) he was more awkward than I thought. He didn’t hit hard but he was fast and creative. He fought his heart out.” said Molitor.

Booth who drops to (35-6, 15 KO) can come again and will take heart from his performance, but can Booth fight his way back into contention for a world title shot and will he have the desire to go to the well one last time?

Write off Jason Booth at your peril and if he can learn from this fight and comeback better from it, Booth could go onto fight friend Rendall Munroe in an all British midlands world title fight.

That is of course if Munroe can win the title first against Japans Toshiaki Nishioka next month, which certainly isn’t a forgone conclusion.

Booth Has shown us before that you can never write him off, and may be tempted to show us again, but he if he doesn’t, he can be still be proud of his battles and achievements in and out of the prize ring.