Jason Moloney to break attendance record for an Australian boxer with world-title defence in Japan
Australia’s only male world boxing champion, Jason Moloney can’t walk down the streets of Tokyo without being asked for a photo. He’s set to fight in front of a bigger crowd than any Aussie boxer has ever seen.
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He is the nation’s only current male world champion and will make Australian boxing history on Monday night.
Jason ‘Mayhem’ Moloney can walk down the street unrecognised in Australia, but he gets mobbed in Japan and will re-write the record books when he enters the ring in the Land of the Rising Sun.
The 33-year-old (27-2, 19KO) will defend his WBO world bantamweight title against Japanese knockout artist Yoshiki Takei (8-0, 8KO) at a sold-out Tokyo Dome, which has a capacity of 55,000.
Moloney’s bout, screened live on Fox’s Main Event, features on a blockbuster card headlined by Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue (26-0), the Japanese icon who puts all four belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery (35-1).
While just about every eyeball will be on national hero Inoue, Moloney will lap up the attention as he prepares to break Jeff Horn’s attendance record.
No Australian boxer in history has fought before 55,000 fans.
Horn’s mark seemed unassailable when 51,026 flooded Suncorp Stadium to see the Queensland schoolteacher pull off a shock world-title boilover of Manny Pacquiao in July 2017.
Two years ago, an estimated 41,000 filled Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium to watch George Kambosos in the first of his two losses against American rival Devin Haney.
In May last year, Toowoomba’s Steve ‘The Viking’ Spark fought on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez-John Ryder showdown at Mexico’s Akron Stadium, which boasts a capacity of 46,355.
But Moloney is poised to eclipse Horn’s crowd record and the Melbourne mauler insists he won’t suffer stage fright on a historic night for Australian boxing.
“It’s pretty amazing to think I’ll be walking out in front of 55,000 people,” said Moloney, who now resides at Banora Point in NSW’s Northern Rivers.
“I don’t think there has been another Aussie world champion who has fought in front of a bigger crowd than I will.
“The Tokyo Dome is one impressive stadium. It’s a massive event and to be fighting on an Inoue card, I can’t wait to be a part of it.
“It’s mind blowing — I’m flying the Australian flag proudly on the big stage.
“I hope the country does get behind me and appreciates what I am doing in defending my title overseas in Japan.
“It’s a shame to not get more support back home. It’s crazy to see the support I get here in Japan. I can’t walk down the street or in the hotel lobby without being stopped for photos and autographs.
“I would love for all Australian fighters to get more recognition and support back home.”
Moloney is approaching the first anniversary of his world-title win — he beat Vincent Astrolabio in America on May 14 last year — and he vowed to torment Takei in his quest to unify the bantamweight division.
“It’s my goal to win all the belts and to be the undisputed world champion,” said Moloney, chasing his seventh straight win after losing to Inoue in 2020.
“This guy (Takei) is a world-champion kickboxer who trains in the same gym as Inoue and his team obviously feels he can beat me.
“It’s up to me to make sure they have bitten off more than they can chew and show Takei he chose the wrong guy to fight.
“I am so proud to be an Australian world champion and our only male world champion at the moment.
“I want to retain the belt in style ... then it’s the Aussie takeover where I win more belts on the world stage and hopefully unify the division.”
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Originally published as Jason Moloney to break attendance record for an Australian boxer with world-title defence in Japan
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