Anthony Joshua says people want to see bust-ups after Chisora-Whyte scrap

Anthony Joshua said fans "want to see" bad behaviour from boxers, following a news conference fracas involving Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora.

Joshua defends his IBF heavyweight title against American Eric Molina in Manchester on Saturday.

But that fight has been overshadowed by Whyte's undercard match with Chisora, who threw a table in Wednesday's melee.

"This is boxing, not tennis. Everyone likes a bit of rivalry, it makes for a good fight," said Joshua.

"Boxing is a gladiatorial sport, it's fight or flight, so you're going to get it [bad behaviour]. You saw it at the press conference with Tony Bellew and David Haye, guys are just going to attack each other sometimes.

"Throughout the history of boxing, you have had these type of incidents. It's good. People want to see a bit more.

"It's just not me. I've been there with Dillian [Joshua beat Whyte in 2015 after an ill-tempered build-up], we didn't get along and I wasted a lot of energy. I didn't flip any tables but one more button pushed and I might have."

• Listen: 'Lovely guy Chisora stupid to throw table'

Anthony Joshua's title fight with Eric Molina has been overshadowed in the build-up

The British Boxing Board of Control has decreed that the match between Whyte and Chisora will go ahead, but Whyte's British title will not be on the line and Chisora has been handed a two-year suspended ban and a £25,000 fine.

Joshua, 27, is making the second defence of the title he won in April, when he knocked out Charles Martin in two rounds.

The Briton is undefeated in 17 professional contests, has yet to be taken the distance and is confident of another knockout in front of a host of heavyweight rivals at the Manchester Arena.

Wladimir Klitschko, who Joshua is expected to fight next spring, will be ringside, as will former world champion Haye and WBC champion Deontay Wilder.

American Molina, 34, is challenging for a world title for a second time, having been knocked out in nine rounds by Wilder last year.

Molina is a big underdog and says the only way he can possibly beat Joshua is via a knockout, which he admits is his only plan.

"It won't go the distance, get that idea out of your mind," said Molina.

"Am I going to outbox him for 12 rounds? No. What's my only chance to win? To knock him out. So for 40 days, that's what I trained for.

"Working on technique? I haven't got time for that. Even if I'd had 80 days, I wouldn't have trained for that, I'd still have trained for the knockout."

As well as boxing, Molina teaches disabled children in his home town of Weslaco, Texas, which he plans to do full-time after he has hung up his gloves.

He said: "After I was beaten by Chris Arreola [Arreola knocked him out in one round in 2012], I worked with special needs kids. For five years I worked 60 hours a week, ran in the morning, trained after school and sparred on the weekend.

"I did that before I fought Deontay Wilder. So you'll never hear any excuses from me, I will just find a way.

"Whatever happens on 10 December, I'll be back there one day, I feel like that's what I'm destined to do.

"But at the moment I'm living my dream to become world heavyweight champion and willing to give it everything I've got."

Undercard

Dillian Whyte v Dereck Chisora (heavyweight contest)

Luis Concepcion v Kal Yafai (WBA super-flyweight title)

Katie Taylor v Viviane Obenauf (super-featherweight contest)

Callum Smith v Luke Blackledge (British super-middleweight title)

Scott Quigg v Jose Cayetano (WBA 'international' featherweight title)

Hosea Burton v Frank Buglioni (British light-heavyweight title)

Luiz Ortiz v David Allen (heavyweight contest)

Marcus Morrison v Harry Matthews (middleweight contest)

Conor Benn v Josh Thorne (super-lightweight contest)