Andrew Moloney predicts win over WBA champ Joshua Franco will make him Australia’s No. 1 boxer

Andrew Moloney has arrived back in Las Vegas, ready to avenge the greatest robbery of any Australian boxer since Jeff Fenech 30 years ago.

LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 14: Joshua Franco and Andrew Moloney exchange punches during their fight for the WBA super flyweight title at the MGM Grand Conference Center on November 14, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)

Jeff Fenech labelled it the greatest robbery of any Australian boxer since his own draw against Azumah Nelson 30 years ago.
But now, Andrew Moloney is back.
With the 30-year-old touching down in Las Vegas this month as part of his tilt at surpassing the likes of George Kambosos and Tim Tszyu for that crown of Australia’s No. 1 fighter.
Exactly nine months after being robbed of the WBA world super flyweight title against American Joshua Franco, Moloney will again square off against the Texan for a trilogy showdown in Oklahoma on August 15 (AEST).

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Currently training out of the Top Rank gym in Las Vegas, Moloney will spend three weeks in the world’s fight capital before then flying into Tulsa for a fight card that will also include his twin brother Jason.
Back in November, Moloney was sensationally robbed of a world title when, despite stopping champ Franco within two rounds, the fight was declared a ‘No Contest’ by referee Russell Mora — who incorrectly ruled the American’s right eye had swelled and closed, forcing the fight to be called off, via a headbutt.
Worse, confused ringside officials then took 30 minutes to make use of the new ‘video replay’ rule inside the MGM Grand casino, with replay official Robert Byrd eventually doubling down on the headbutt call.

Andrew Moloney and Joshua Franco exchange punches during their fight for the WBA super flyweight title at the MGM Grand in November, 2020.

Yet continual replays on the ESPN coverage showed a series of left jabs by Moloney had done the damage, which was supported by broadcast analysts Timothy Bradley and Andre Ward.
Furious US promoter Bob Arum slammed the decision, even suggesting it may be time “to get the f--- out of Vegas”, while others deriding the decision included Fenech, UFC commentator Joe Rogan, even British actress Dame Helen Mirren, who took to Instagram to declare Moloney was robbed.
Speaking from his Las Vegas camp this week, Moloney admitted he could no longer count how many times he’d watched the Franco robbery back.
“Although early on, I probably watched that first round 50 times trying to find what they thought was a head clash,” he concedes. “I watched it from every possible camera angle, watched it in super slow motion, everything.
“And I know exactly the moment, exactly the punch that caused the damage.
“And that punch lands on his eye.
“So now, I want to get that world title back for Australia. I want to cement myself as the No. 1 boxer in the country.”

In the moments immediately after the decision was made, Moloney traded words with Franco’s corner, who were berating the Australian for questioning the decision.

He said the American’s corner were shouting about how it was Franco who, five months earlier, had initially beaten the Kingscliff fighter to take the WBA gold strap he had won against Guyana’s Elton Dharry in 2019.

“There was a lot of trash talk coming from them,” confirms Moloney, who was hand-picked to headline Top Rank cards during the Covid pandemic. “They were trying to tell me how Franco had won the first fight between us and stuff like that.

Jason Moloney, Bruno Tarimo and Andrew Moloney training out of their gym at Chinderah. Picture: Supplied

“But that wasn’t what we were arguing about.
“And Franco himself, he had nothing to say.
“He knew. Just as the guy knows now he doesn‘t deserve that belt … that he’s spent seven months carrying around a belt he doesn’t deserve.”

Despite the outpouring of support that followed his loss, Moloney admitted to feeling “forgotten about” in the seven months since.

“So that’s why I want to go out and put on a show,” he said.

“Because there was definitely a huge reaction after that last fight between Franco and I, things really blew up all over the world.

“But right now, that all feels so long ago.
“It was definitely good to have that support in the days immediately after the ruling.
“But then a few weeks later when I got home (and out of quarantine), it had all died back down. And arriving back to my home without that world title belt, that’s what it really hit — what they had done to me.”
But now?

“I’ve been stewing over that result for a long time,” he said. “And I’m ready to go.”

Originally published as Andrew Moloney predicts win over WBA champ Joshua Franco will make him Australia’s No. 1 boxer