Jason Moloney v Naoya Inoue: lightweight champ Teofimo Lopez gives Aussie ‘belief’
Teofimo Lopez caused one of the biggest boxing boilovers just two weeks ago. Now the American is advising Aussie star Jason Moloney on how to follow in his footsteps on Sunday.
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Jason Moloney, only a fortnight ago, was ringside for the biggest boxing upset of 2020.
So close, he says, you could “see the belief” in American underdog Teofimo Lopez.
But the kicker?
That came only a few days back.
When Lopez, who sensationally dethroned Vasiliy Lomachenko to become the world’s new lightweight king, reached out to explain, in detail, how he got it done.
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Which for Moloney, is huge.
Especially given on Sunday in Las Vegas, he plans to do the same.
Just two weeks after Lopez upset a boxer considered the greatest on the planet, Moloney is now looking to double down on the guy ranked No. 2 – Japanese megastar Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue.
Which is no easy thing.
And why Lopez reached out to the $8 TAB underdog on Friday morning.
Over a surprise Facetime call, explaining the mindset behind that fight he had watched from ringside as a Top Rank VIP guest.
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“And everything happens for a reason,” Moloney told News Corp shortly after said call.
“I now believe I was supposed to be there for that Lopez win.
“Just to see it.
“See not only everything that’s ahead for me, but what I’m about to achieve myself.
“It’s my destiny to win this fight and become a boxing superstar.”
Asked what he and Lopez had spoken about during their conversation, Moloney replied simply: “Belief.
“That’s the key.
“Two weeks ago, Lopez was in the same boat I am right now.
“Everyone thought Lomachenko was unbeatable.
“Everyone but him.
“And obviously there’s a lot of hard work behind his belief.
“Has to be.
“But I also know I’ve done the work too, made the sacrifices.
“So while I’ll have to be at my very best in this fight, I also know I can beat Inoue.”
Despite having been among only 50 people granted access to the Lopez-Lomachenko blockbuster, Moloney insisted the new champ’s call still came as a shock.
“Because we’ve never met,” he said of the fighter who earned his upset decision win via scorecards reading 116-112, 119-109 and 117-111.
“But he just wanted to wish me luck.
“Encourage me to go out there and do the same thing he did — become the new king of my division.
“And even just being there for his fight, I took so much from what I saw.
“Watching this young, hungry underdog achieve something no one thought was possible, it gave me so much excitement.”
Apart from Lopez, one of the other boxers who now has Moloney primed for his world title upset is, somewhat surprisingly, a Queensland teen with just two fights.
Still only 18, Vegas Larfield is the youngest member of five-man sparring group that has been employed by Team Moloney for the past month.
The other members are American Jesse Rosales, Chilean Andres Campos, Puerto Rican Jonathan Rodriguez and twin brother Andrew.
“And I’ve been getting exactly what I need from them,” Moloney stressed.
“Obviously it’s hard to get someone with the exact style of Inoue.
“And I know the guy is an exceptional fighter.
“That’s what I’m always trying to explain to people over here.
“It’s not like I’ve watched him and seen some hole nobody else has exploited.
“Or I’m taking this fight because it’s going to be easy.
“I want this fight because he’s best.
“And the only way I achieve my dream is to beat him.”