Now or never: The brutal knockout fuelling Moloney’s world title revenge mission
One year after suffering a brutal knockout, and just six days after watching his brother lose, Andrew Moloney has no lack of motivation this weekend.
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Andrew Moloney is on a revenge mission for his brother, Jason, in what he knows is likely his last run at a world title almost a year to the day since falling to a devastating knockout of the year contender.
Moloney fights Pedro Guevara for the WBC interim super-flyweight world title on the undercard to George Kambosos’ lightweight world title blockbuster against Vasiliy Lomachekno in Perth on Sunday.
Boxing: Lomachenko v Kambosos IBF Lightweight World Title Fight | Sunday, 12 MAY 12PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
The bout comes just six days after Andrew watched his twin lose his WBO bantamweight world title to Yoshiki Takei in Tokyo, despite appearing just moments away from scoring a 12th round knockout.
“I’d just landed in Perth when he fought, so I was watching on my phone here,” Andrew tells this masthead while his son, Lee, runs around a ballroom in the fighter hotel in Perth.
“I was probably lucky I wasn’t there because I lost my voice as it is screaming at the phone.
“Watching Jase lose his fight, it’s just made me more determined to get the job done this weekend. I feel I’ve gotta get one back for the team, for the family.
“The fans in boxing are pretty brutal, and I’ve seen comments online writing Jason off, so I just want to put on a great performance and show what we’re all about as a family.”
It wouldn’t be the first time the pair of world champion brothers have had such high-stakes fights so close together. In June 2020, Andrew lost a world title fight in a close decision to Joshua Franco. Two days later, Jason put on a masterful performance in stopping Leonardo Baez.
“I know how determined he was to put on that great performance two days after my fight,” Andrew says. “He really wanted to get one back for the family, and I’m the same this weekend.
“I spoke to him after his fight the other day and he was fine physically, but just kicking himself that he came so close to stopping it in that last round.
“I’m sure he’ll be world champion again, and we’ve been on this mission to be world champions at the same time, but we still need to get it done, and I haven’t given up hope yet.”
At 33 years old, and with 29 tough professional fights under his belt, Andrew knows he’s closer to the end of his career than to the start of it, and admits this might be his last run at a world title.
“I’ve had a few losses in my career now, and a loss here would probably be my last shot,” he says. “But that just means there’s more fire in the belly and it’s made me prepare even better every day.
“I’m treating this as if it’s my last crack, so losing’s really not an option. I’m certainly not ready to give up boxing, so I need a win in this fight.”
Sunday’s fight comes just a week short of the one year anniversary of Moloney’s sickening knockout defeat to fearsome Japanese puncher Junto Nakatani.
Behind on the scorecards after being dropped in the second and 11th rounds, Moloney walked onto a savage left hand that rendered him unconscious with just 20 seconds remaining in the fight.
The finish is regarded as one of the best knockouts of 2023, but Moloney is philosophical about the defeat now.
“I’ve used that as motivation every day in the gym,” he says. “I really learned a lot from that.
“I feel I’ve turned a corner in my career, and everything – all the experience I’ve gained – is falling into place.
Junto Nakatani knocks Andrew Moloney out cold in the 12th & final round to become a 2-division world champion 💣 #HaneyLoma
— ð’Ÿð’¾ð’¶ð“‡ð’¾ð‘œð“ˆ (@DiariosJournals) May 21, 2023
pic.twitter.com/Q6w7mZVmlB
“I’ve really found myself as a fighter. Not too many people can go from being on the bad end of the knockout of the year, to getting a world title shot in the space of 12 months.
“Maybe in the future, we’ll look back at it as a blessing because it’s improved me as a fighter and I think it’s gonna help me become a world champion this weekend.
“And it’s gonna feel bloody special when I get that world title strapped around my waist on Sunday.”
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