By Carlos Boogs

WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33KOs) appeared to be rattled in the third round, when heavy underdog Eric Molina connected with a big right hand on the chin and Wilder's legs buckled, as over 9,000 fans gasped at the Bartow Arena in Alabama. Wilder recovered by the end of round and came back to drop Molina in the fourth.

While Wilder admits he was buzzed, he says he was never seriously hurt by any of Molina's punches.

"It was a couple-second buzz and then I came back to the fight," Wilder said. "It was a great shot. I definitely wasn't hurt at any time in the fight."

Molina went down four times in the contest. He says during one of those knockdowns he injured his left ankle. He didn't question the referee's decision to stop the fight, but thought he could have kept going.

"It was two good shots and I went down, and I was going to keep getting up until he really put me to sleep," Molina said. "I got up and felt like I was fine, but that's what they pay the referee to do. He did his job, and I'm fine with that."

"A lot of people didn't think I had a shot but they had no idea what I was coming with in my heart. I knew this was my opportunity, and I have no regrets. I left it all in the ring. "