Push To Secure Aussie Andrew Moloney's Hometown World Title Shot

Press Release: November 7, 2025 By Murray Wenzel - 

Credit: Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)

Talks have begun to bring Andrew Moloney's world title fight to Australia as the pint-sized champion eyes a move to Jai Opetaia's stable.

The IBF has ordered that the winner of December's clash between Mexico's super flyweight champion Willibaldo Garcia and Japan's two-division king Kenshiro Teraji must fight the Australian before June 25 next year.

Moloney, who shook off ring rust with a win in Fiji on Saturday, expects Teraji to beat the Mexican champion in their Saudi Arabia bout.

The Kingscliff-based boxer, who stopped Indian Pawan Kumar in the fifth round in Suva, thinks Garcia has "sold his belt" by seeking an exemption to delay their bout and fight on the big-money Saudi card.

So a trip to Japan as challenger appears the likely route, but Moloney's manager Tony Tolj is hopeful an allegiance with Opetaia's Tasman Fighters can bring it home.

Moloney spent a frustrating year waiting for a fight before a winning return in Fiji on Saturday. 

Moloney spent a frustrating year waiting for a fight before a winning return in Fiji on Saturday. (November 1sr)

Tasman Fighters boss Mick Francis is preparing to host one of the country's deepest cards on December 6, when Opetaia will defend his IBF and The Ring cruiserweight belts for a seventh time.

Heavyweights Justis Huni and Teremoana Teremoana, rising stars Max McIntyre and Austin Aokuso, as well as veteran Paul Fleming, fighting Jake Wyllie, all feature on the Gold Coast.

Moloney's twin brother Jason will also make his Tasman Fighters debut after the brothers' deal with American promoter Top Rank expired.

A bantamweight world champion less than a year ago, Jason has fought in front of more than 50,000 at the Tokyo Dome and hopes a union with Opetaia's team will rekindle his own title dream.

Francis also promotes Brisbane-based Irish light heavyweight star Conor Wallace, who is on the cusp of his own world title opportunity.

Opetaia and Huni will join Francis at a press conference in Sydney on Thursday to announce broadcasting details for the blockbuster Gold Coast card.

But Francis has bigger plans brewing, the Gold Coast promoter already working to secure hometown title shots for Moloney and Wallace early next year.

Moloney's Fiji victory was a relieving bright spot in an otherwise frustrating year.

He spent nearly five weeks in Mexico preparing to fight Argi Cortes in an IBF eliminator before pulling out after the date and location was changed multiple times.

The IBF awarded Moloney the Mandatory spot as challenger to Garcia's belt but then allowed the Mexican an exemption to fight in Saudi Arabia.

That meant Moloney spent nearly a year out of the ring before Saturday's successful return.

Jason Moloney defended his WBO bantamweight belt once before a gut-wrenching defeat in Tokyo last May when Yoshiki Takei, slumped on the ropes, was saved by the bell after dominating the early exchanges.

Material Courtesy of: Murray Wenzel/Photo Courtesy of: Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS) Used with permission.

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

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.