Moloney Not Done, Wants Piece Of 'insane' Boxing Moment

Press Release: February 21, 2024 By Team Moloney/ Murray Wenzel- Andrew Moloney wants to be part of Australian boxing's "insane" uprising, ignoring calls from those inside and outside his circle to retire to stand on the brink of another world title shot.

 

Credit: Australian Associated Press

The former WBA super flyweight champion's American promoter Top Rank is pushing for Japanese star Kosei Tanaka to fight the Australian on the George Kambosos-Vasiliy Lomachenko May 12 card in Perth.

 

That's assuming Tanaka takes care of Mexico's Christian Bacasegua in Tokyo this Saturday when the pair fight for the vacant WBO belt.

 

Moloney (26-3-1) is the No.3 WBO contender behind that duo and is banking on the status of the Perth card to drag Tanaka out of Japan to build his global audience with an Australian defence.

 

Last May Moloney suffered a brutal final-round knockout in his Las Vegas world title fight with Junto Nakatani, who will fight Alexandro Santiago up a weight for Santiago's WBC bantamweight belt on the Tanaka card.

 

Moloney then defied advice of keyboard warriors and close family alike to hang up the gloves, beating Filipino Judy Flores in December to get back into the conversation.

 

"After a loss and KO like that it feels like the world's going to end," the 33-year-old told AAP.

 

"A lot of people thought my career was over; I had a few tell me and saw a lot of comments that I should call it a day.

 

"But I've got more to give and it just made me more determined.

"Another world title shot seemed a world away, but it could come in less than 12 months."

 

A Commonwealth Games champion in 2014, Moloney has been rated among the country's elite professionals since his overseas debut in 2019.

 

Twin brother Jason won his WBO bantamweight title a week before the Vegas knockout, Andrew in his corner in Canada last month for his incredible defence against Saul Sanchez.

Jason was likely to feature on the Kambosos card but AAP understands he could now command his own headline act instead, potentially in Japan.

 

Tim Tsyzu, Michael Zerafa, Jai Opetaia and potentially Liam Paro, who is close to locking in a date with Puerto Rico's IBF junior welterweight champion Subriel Matias, will also fight to win or defend world titles in the first half of this year.

 

Moloney said his brother's defence, as well as Rohan Murdock's stoic loss on that Canadian card, had turned heads.

 

"I reckon every promoter watching that Canada card walked away thinking, 'We need Aussies in our shows'," he said.

 

"Australian boxing is flying; we could have six or seven men's world champs by the end of the year. That's absolutely insane.

 

"Things have changed; we can be a powerhouse.”

 

Material Courtesy of: Team Moloney/Murray Wenzel Photo Courtesy of: Australian Associated Press Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved. 

MOLONEY NAMES TARGETS FOR BUMPER AUSSIE TITLE DEFENSE

Press Release: June 2, 2023  By Dragon Fire Boxing and Murray Wenzel/AAP -  A couple of free breakfasts and a family holiday to Yamba.

Credit: Dragon Fire Boxing 

It's been a typically low-key homecoming for Australia's newest boxing world champion Jason Moloney.

But the 32-year-old WBO bantamweight belt holder expects that to change with legendary promoter Bob Arum backing the Australian's dream to defend his title - or win some more - in a blockbuster event on home soil.

"Some congratulations and a couple of free breakfasts at the cafe, but I haven't felt it hugely since getting back home," he told AAP of the fanfare while en route to his mini-vacation.

"I've been on the road for years in America and have been surprised by my profile in Japan.

"But it's only just beginning here and now I've got the belt ... I knew I had to achieve something big first.

"I grew up idolising Danny Green and saw how much the country loved him and that's something I'd love.

"I want to get the whole country excited about when I'm fighting next and filling stadiums."

Moloney (26-2) avoided a suspected fractured hand in his calculated majority points decision victory over Vincent Astrolabio in California last month.

Twin brother Andrew lost his own world title fight a week later in Las Vegas, brutally knocked out in the final seconds of the 12th round of his WBO super-flyweight world title bout by the formidable Junto Nakatani.

Andrew suffered a perforated eardrum but has returned to Australia without lingering injuries and keen to get back in the ring.

Top Rank boss Arum was ringside when Jeff Horn beat Manny Pacquiao at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium in 2017.

While only one of the brothers has returned as world champion, Arum still has designs on a Moloney double-header later this year with Melbourne and Gold Coast the early front-runners.

"Bob's all for it," Jason said.

"We sat down with him and he was the one that brought it up.

"If I'm looking to fight in September or October that'll work with Andrew."

Undisputed bantamweight king Naoya Inoue's move up a weight class has thrown Moloney's division wide open, with the Australian now rated No.1 ahead of Emmanuel Rodriguez by The Ring Magazine.

One round was the difference when the Puerto Rican beat Moloney for the IBF belt in 2018, with Rodriguez set to fight for that belt again in July.

Nonito Donaire is ranked third and has switched management since negotiations to fight Moloney for the WBC belt fell down earlier this year.

"If it was up to me I'd say Emmanuel Rodriguez," Moloney said of his desired next opponent.

"To get revenge and have three belts (WBO, The Ring, IBF) on the line, that's the most exciting fight for me at the minute.

"But we've been after Donaire too. I'll fight anyone in my division."

Shattered for his twin, Moloney is confident he still has at least five years left in his career to realise their shared dream.

"It just shows you what boxing is like at the top," he said.

"One week the highest of highs, the very next week the lowest of lows.

"But I plan on holding the belt for a long time and I'm still confident we can be champions at the same time."

 

Material and Photo Courtesy of Dragon Fire Boxing and Murray WenzelAAP  Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.