Aussie boxer Jason Moloney on the moment he knew he could beat Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue
The first time Aussie boxer Jason Moloney met Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue he knew he had an advantage over the Japanese superstar. This weekend he gets the chance to prove it in a world title bout.
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First time Jason Moloney met the Monster, it was under the guise of having a picture together.
That was two years ago, in Moscow.
Shortly before the rising Australian bantamweight would enter a World Boxing Super Series event that, naturally, included the Japanese superstar who already held the WBA title – Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue.
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“And our encounter, it was only brief,” Moloney recounted this week of their media day picture.
“Inoue doesn’t speak much English, so I really just shook hands and grabbed that photo with him.”
But you want to know what the Aussie was really doing?
“Sizing him up,” he tells News Corp now from Las Vegas, where on Sunday he fights Inoue for no less than three world titles.
“And that first meeting, I was shocked at how much bigger I was.
“Inoue, he didn’t look like a fighter in the same division.
“While he’s a guy who has been moving up from flyweight and super flyweight, I’ve moved down from super bantamweight.
“So physically, I feel I’m the stronger man.
“And now I get to show who the real monster is.”
Two years after posing up for that media day picture, Moloney and the Monster finally came face-to-face again on Friday inside the MGM Grand.
Only this time, the press conference was to hype a world title blockbuster which sees the pair throwing down for belts once held by Aussie legends Jeff Fenech and Lionel Rose.
So as for what Moloney saw in their latest staredown?
“Just another man,” the 29-year-old said, speaking immediately afterwards.
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“And that’s the same as I’ve always seen him.
“I’m not intimidated.
“Some people, they get caught up in Inoue’s aura. Get star struck.
“That’s not me.”
Indeed, Moloney insists he will be the first fighter who doesn’t buy into the hype of a champion who is not only undefeated in eight years and 19 fights, but has won all but three by knockout.
A fella who in that World Boxing Super Series, won his first two fights by KO – and within three rounds – before winning last November’s final against Nonito Donaire.
Moloney, meanwhile, lost his first event in that same tournament via a controversial split decision loss against IBF champ Emmanuel Rodriguez.
The same Puerto Rican who would then lose his title to Inoue seven months later, via second round KO.
“But everyone goes into their shell against Inoue,” Moloney continued of the Japanese star fighting for the first time since his Donaire triumph.
“Or worse, they go into the contest having already lost because they think he’s unbeatable.
“Inoue calls himself the ‘Monster’ and that’s what people believe.
“But he’s not.
“He’s a great fighter, absolutely. Take nothing away there.
“But he’s just a man.
“And I’m going to prove that.”
Tszyu who? Aussie fighter says he’s nation’s No. 1
Jason Moloney knows who you think the face of Australian boxing is.
“And I need to change it,” he laughs.
Undefeated in all but one of 22 fights – a contentious world title loss two years ago – Moloney is now just days out from the biggest bout of any Australian in 2020.
This Sunday in Las Vegas (AEST), he will headline a bantamweight world title fight against Japanese megastar Naoya Inoue – a fella Ring Magazine rates the third best boxer anywhere on planet earth.
Which is some fight.
Its Moloney’s second MGM Grand headliner this year, too.
“And it’s why,” the 29-year-old says, “I think I deserve Australia’s No. 1 spot”.
But the rest of you?
Well, your ‘face’ vote probably goes to Tim Tszyu.
The undefeated super welterweight with 16 wins, a surname you know and that August win over a fella previously considered Australia’s best – Jeff Horn.
Even the nation’s popular fight website – Aus-Boxing.com – lists Tszyu as our pound-for-pound king, with Jason second and twin brother Andrew third.
To which Moloney says: ‘what?’
Especially given he is not only fighting for belts once owned by Jeff Fenech and Lionel Rose, but in a headliner Boxrec is giving four of five stars.
Sure, the Kingscliff slugger has opened a 3/1 outsider.
With Inoue, who is undefeated in 19 fights and winning all but three via KO, 5/1 on with Las Vegas bookies.
But remember too, that Moloney is only here after upsetting American Leonardo Baez in June at the same Las Vegas venue.
Just as his one career loss was a controversial split decision against Emmanuel Rodriguez, who in 2019 would lose that same IBF title to Inoue.
Which has to make Moloney, in this moment, Australia’s best, right?
“I’ll never say anything bad about another Aussie fighter,” Moloney stressed from his camp just off the Las Vegas strip.
“More than anything, I want Aussie boxing to blossom.
“Be as big as it can be, with all of us succeeding.
“But, yes, I deserve to be the No.1.
“Which isn’t to say it bothers me (that Tszyu sits there). Just as I’m not bitter about.
“But still, I’m going to do my best to earn it.
“And the way I do it is winning this fight.
“I beat Inoue and I’m Australia’s No. 1 fighter for a long, long time.”
Certainly, the international media is wanting plenty of Moloney this week.
“Although one of the fight writers from Japan, I don’t think he understood any of my answers,” he laughs.
“The guy kept asking me the same questions over and over.
“In the finish, I actually got him to speak with my Chilean sparring partner. His Spanish was better than his English, so my sparring partner became the interpreter.”
So as for what you said?
“I’ve just wanted to be in this moment for so long,” Moloney continued.
“I never got into this sport to have easy fights.
“Or fight ‘B Level’ opponents.
“I’m in this sport to achieve something special.
“And now, mate, I’m here.”
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Originally published as Aussie boxer Jason Moloney on the moment he knew he could beat Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue