Tag: ANDREW MOLONEY

Moloney to face new opponent on May 12

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The opponent has changed, but the stakes are just as high for Australian standout Andrew Moloney. Pedro Guevara will now fight Moloney for the vacant WBC Interim junior bantamweight world title on Sunday, May 12 at RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

Guevara replaces former world champion Carlos Cuadras, who was forced to withdraw from the fight due to a torn Achilles suffered in training. Moloney-Guevara will be the co-feature to the vacant IBF lightweight world title showdown between Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. In other world championship action on the bill, WBA bantamweight world champion Nina Hughes looks to turn back the challenge of one-time world champion Cherneka “Sugar Neekz” Johnson.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Top Rank, Ferocious Promotions, TEG Sport and Duco Events, Lomachenko-Kambosos, Moloney-Guevara and Hughes-Johnson will be broadcast in prime time in the United States on Saturday, May 11 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

“I’m grateful that Top Rank and my team were able to get such a great opponent so quickly and to still be fighting for the WBC Interim world title,” Moloney said. “Guevara has only lost to world champions, and each of his defeats have come by either split or majority decision. I look forward to being the first person to beat him convincingly and making a massive statement.”

“This is a fantastic opportunity. Moloney is a great fighter, but I want the WBC green belt,” Guevara said. “It’s an honor to be part of the Lomachenko-Kambosos event. I’m very grateful to Top Rank, All Star Boxing and Bxstrs Promotions for making this happen. I will not let my Mexican people down.”

Moloney (26-3, 16 KOs) is unbeaten when fighting on Australian soil and looks to continue his climb back up the 115-pound rankings. After suffering a 12th-round stoppage defeat to Junto Nakatani for the vacant WBO junior bantamweight world title last May, he returned in December with a convincing decision over Judy Flores in Melbourne, Australia. Guevara (41-4-1, 22 KOs), from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, is a former WBC light flyweight world champion who made two world title defenses in 2015. He challenged Kenshiro Teraji for that title in 2017, dropping a majority decision. Guevara saw his 10-fight winning streak end when he lost a split decision to Cuadras last November for the WBC Interim junior bantamweight world title. In February, he outlasted Lamberto Macias via 10-round decision in Mazatlán.

In other undercard action, streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, knockout sensation Imam Khataev (6-0, 6 KOs) steps up against Ričards Bolotņiks (20-7-1, 8 KOs). Khataev, who trains in Sydney, Australia, earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. As a professional, he has yet to be pushed past the third round.

Two action-packed heavyweight fights, which will take place after the main event, have been added to the card. Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne (31-5, 27 KOs) returns to Australian soil to face New Zealand’s Hemi Ahio (21-1, 16 KOs) in an eight-rounder. The last time Browne fought in Australia, he shocked Junior Fa with a first-round knockout on the first Kambosos-Devin Haney card in Melbourne.

And, in an all-Australian 10-rounder, Faiga Opelu (16-4-2, 12 KOs) will battle former amateur standout Joe Goodall (10-2-1, 9 KOs). Opelu hopes to notch his second straight win, while Goodall looks to rebound from last November’s stoppage defeat to Nigerian knockout artist Efe Ajagba.

Cuadras-Moloney, Hughes-Johnson added to Loma-Kambosos undercard

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Two world title fights featuring Australian challengers have been added to the super card headlined by the vacant IBF lightweight world title showdown between Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. on Sunday, May 12 at RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

Mexican standout Carlos Cuadras will defend his WBC Interim junior bantamweight world title against former world champion Andrew Moloney.

And, in a bantamweight world title tilt, WBA champion Nina Hughes looks to turn back the challenge of one-time world champion Cherneka “Sugar Neekz” Johnson.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Top Rank, Ferocious Promotions, TEG Sport and Duco Events, Lomachenko-Kambosos, Cuadras-Moloney and Hughes-Johnson will be broadcast in prime time in the United States on Saturday, May 11 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.  Cuadras vs. Moloney is presented in association with Teiken Promotions.

“Not only is this historic event a first for Australia, with three world championship fights on the same bill, it is truly a fight fan’s card with compelling matchups in each of the featured attractions, promising plenty of action. Both Aussies, Andrew Moloney and Cherneka Johnson, will be extra motivated to reclaim past glory in front of their compatriots. Mexican great Carlos Cuadras is never in a bad fight, and it’s impossible not to root for Nina Hughes, a single mom who continues to defy the odds,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

“I can’t wait to arrive in the beautiful city of Perth for this historic event,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Andrew Moloney is in a fantastic fight against one of Mexico’s great champions, and I expect the Hughes-Johnson title fight to be a competitive, dramatic bantamweight battle.”

Cuadras (42-5-1, 28 KOs), a 16-year-pro and one of the leading lighter weight fighters of this generation, made six defenses of the WBC 115-pound world title from 2014-2016. Since being dethroned by pound-for-pound great Roman Gonzalez in September 2016, he is 7-4, including decision defeats to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Juan Francisco Estrada in bids to regain his WBC world title. Cuadras has won three consecutive fights, most recently traveling to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and edging countryman Pedro Guevara by split decision to win the Interim world title.

“I look forward to the challenge of fighting Andrew Moloney in Australia, and I am coming to prove I am still a force at 115 pounds,” Cuadras said. “There are many great champions in my division, but I can’t overlook Moloney, a hungry fighter who will be encouraged by the Australian fans.”

Moloney (26-3, 16 KOs) briefly held the WBA junior bantamweight world title before going 0-2 with a no contest in an eventful trilogy against Joshua Franco from 2020-2021. He then reeled off four consecutive victories, including three on Australian soil, to earn a shot at the vacant WBO junior bantamweight world title last May against Japanese superstar Junto Nakatani. Moloney hung tough, but in the 12th round, Nakatani landed a crunching left hand that ended the fight. He returned to the win column last December, securing a decision over Judy Flores to pick up a regional title.

“I’m absolutely pumped to have this fight locked in. Carlos Cuadras has been in with the best of the best at junior bantamweight, and he is the biggest name available in the division,” Moloney said. “I was there live to watch him fight Juan Francisco Estrada nearly seven years ago, and to be fighting him for the Interim world title in Australia is a huge opportunity. To have both Lomachenko and Cuadras fighting in Australia shows how much Australian boxing is flying now, and I’m thrilled to be part of it all. Bring on May 12!”

Hughes (6-0, 2 KOs) turned pro in December 2021 at 39 years old. She had a decorated amateur career with more than 70 fights and four national titles. Hughes, a single mother of two, set her sights on a professional career during the COVID-19 pandemic. She won the Commonwealth bantamweight title in her third outing and upset Jamie Mitchell by unanimous decision in November 2022 to capture the WBA bantamweight world title. She made her lone title defense last June, turning away Katie Healy via decision. The ageless Hughes now turns her attention to Johnson, the home country favorite.

“I am looking forward to showing the world why I am the WBA bantamweight world champion, and I’m thrilled to be fighting on such a prestigious event in Perth, Western Australia,” Smith said. “Cherneka Johnson is a former world champion, and while it will be a tough assignment, I will not be denied victory. Thank you to DiBella Entertainment and Leon Sudbury at Takeover Sports Management for getting this fight made.”

Johnson (15-2, 6 KOs) was born in New Zealand but moved to Australia as a pre-teen, and she soon established herself as one of Australia’s standout amateurs. In April 2022, six years after turning pro, she snatched the vacant IBF junior featherweight world title with a majority decision over Melissa Esquivel in Melbourne, Australia. She defended the title six months later on the Devin Haney-Kambosos II undercard in Melbourne, overcoming a brutal cut to beat Susie Ramadan. Johnson lost her title last June in London, where she lost a unanimous decision to Ellie Scotney. Nearly a year later, she returns to bantamweight, motivated to become a two-weight queen.

“I am excited to fight for a second world title on this great event alongside boxing legends here in Perth, Western Australia,” Johnson said. “It has been a long journey for me, full of hard work and dedication, and I am determined to become a two-time world champion. It is an honor to fight Nina Hughes, but I am here to win. On fight night, I will show the world what I am made of.”

Moloney-Nakatani, Nico Ali Walsh added to Haney-Lomachenko undercard

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A world title fight and the grandson of “The Greatest” take center stage on Saturday, May 20 as part of the ESPN-televised prelims to the PPV main event headlined by undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney’s title defense against former pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The two-fight telecast is headlined by the vacant WBO junior bantamweight world title showdown between Australia’s former world champion Andrew Moloney and Japan’s undefeated former WBO flyweight titlist Junto Nakatani.

Opening the broadcast will be undefeated middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Muhammad Ali, in a scheduled eight-rounder against a to-be-determined foe.

Moloney-Nakatani and Ali Walsh’s return will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The Haney vs. Lomachenko main card will stream live on Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV, the event’s exclusive digital distributor in the United States, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Additionally, it will be available via cable and satellite pay-per-view providers and is priced at $59.99 across all distributors.

The PPV undercard features a 10-round junior lightweight co-feature between two-division world champion Oscar Valdez and Adam “BluNose” Lopez in a rematch of their 2019 battle.

In the PPV opener, rising lightweight Raymond “Danger” Muratalla will take on big-punching Namibian contender Jeremia Nakathila in a 10-round clash.

Moloney (25-2, 16 KOs) hopes to become a two-time world champion in the city where Joshua Franco upset him by unanimous decision back in June 2020. The two fought twice more, with a controversial no contest and second Franco decision victory closing the chapter on their trilogy. Following the third Franco fight in August 2021, Moloney regrouped in December 2021 with a clear points victory over Froilan Saludar. In 2022, he fought three times, including a pair of homecoming appearances on the Devin Haney-George Kambosos Jr. cards in Melbourne, Australia. Moloney, ranked No. 2 by the WBO at 115 pounds, earned the title shot with a 10-round decision over Norbelto Jimenez last October for the WBO International strap.

WBO No. 1 junior bantamweight contender Nakatani (24-0, 18 KOs), a 25-year-old southpaw from Inabe-gun, Mie, Japan, ranks among the hardest lighter-weight punchers in boxing. An eight-year pro, Nakatani captured the vacant WBO flyweight world title in November 2020 with an eighth-round knockout over Giemel Magramo. Nakatani defended his flyweight crown twice, bloodying and stopping Angel Acosta in four rounds and knocking out Ryota Yamauchi in eight. He vacated his title to move up to junior bantamweight and scored a one-sided decision over former unified world champion Francisco Rodriguez Jr. last November.

Ali Walsh (8-0, 5 KOs) moves up to his first scheduled eight-rounder nearly two years removed from his pro debut. He made his Las Vegas debut last April at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, obliterating Alejandro Ibarra with a left-right combination in the first round. Ali Walsh righted the only blemish on his record last August, stopping Reyes Sanchez in the second round of their rematch with a body shot. Sanchez lost a majority decision to Ali Walsh in December 2021. He made his 2023 debut in February, outlasting the rugged Eduardo Ayala en route to a convincing six-round unanimous decision.

Moloney Brothers return on Haney-Kambosos 2 undercard

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Many of Australia’s top fighting talents will enjoy the Down Under spotlight underneath the highly anticipated rematch between undisputed lightweight world champion Devin “The Dream” Haney and former champion “Ferocious” George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday, Oct. 15 (Sunday afternoon, Oct. 16 local time) at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia.

In the co-feature, two-time world title challenger Jason “Mayhem” Moloney takes on Thai veteran Nawaphon Kaikanha in a 12-round final eliminator for the WBC bantamweight world title.

Former world champion Andrew Moloney, Jason’s twin brother, battles Dominican contender Norbelto Jimenez in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO International junior bantamweight title. The Moloney Brothers grew up in Mitcham, a suburb of Melbourne, and will have the home soil advantage.

Haney-Kambosos 2 will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+.

Jason Moloney (24-2, 19 KOs) fell short in his two shots at the bantamweight title, dropping a split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez in 2018 and succumbing via seventh-round stoppage to Naoya Inoue in 2020. Since the Inoue setback, he has won three in a row, including a stunning third-round knockout over Aston Palicte on the Kambosos-Haney 1 undercard in June. Kaikanha (56-1-1, 46 KOs) has won 20 consecutive fights since a 2017 TKO loss to Juan Hernandez Navarrete for the vacant WBC flyweight world title. He has been campaigning at bantamweight for more than three years, winning 12 straight by stoppage. Kaikanha has never fought outside of Thailand and will make the nine-hour flight to fight Moloney in hostile territory.

“This fight is one final steps towards me achieving my dream and becoming world champion,” Jason Moloney said. “Nawaphon Kaikanha is a very experienced and capable opponent who has had 58 professional fights and only one defeat. To have this fight in Melbourne, at Rod Laver Arena, in front of all my family and friends, is amazing and gives me even more motivation. Thank you to my manager, Tony Tolj, Top Rank, and everyone involved for making this fight happen. I will grab this opportunity with both hands and earn my shot at becoming the WBC world champion.”

Andrew Moloney (24-2, 16 KOs) held the WBA 115-pound world title briefly until Joshua Franco dethroned him in June 2020, but three fights against the American standout introduced him to an international audience. Moloney has kept active since a decision defeat to Franco last August, going 3-0 and rising the junior bantamweight rankings. Like his brother, Andrew Moloney made the most of his homecoming on the Kambosos-Haney 1 bill. He busted the right eye of Alexander Espinoza, who retired on his stool following the second round. Jimenez (31-9-6, 16 KOs) is a two-time world title challenger who is unbeaten in four fights, a run that includes a spirited draw last December against four-weight world champion Donnie Nietes. He has authored a remarkable career turnaround, as he began his career 2-8-1. Since that low-water mark, Jimenez is 29-1-5 over the past 11-plus years.

“I’m hoping that an impressive win over Jimenez earns me a shot at one of the world champions next,” Andrew Moloney said. “This is exactly the type of fight I’ve been wanting, to show the improvements I have made and that I am ready to become world champion again. I’m coming to put on the best performance of my career.”

The undercard also features two of New Zealand’s world class boxing prospects, Olympic bronze medalist David Nyika (4-0, 3 KOs) and heavyweight puncher Hemi Ahio (19-0, 14 KOs), who are both returning to Melbourne after appearing on Kambosos-Haney 1 undercard. Nyika, who is campaigning at cruiserweight, is scheduled to fight in a six-rounder. Ahio looks for his sixth consecutive knockout in an eight-rounder.

Devin Haney Promotions-promoted prospect Amari Jones (7-0, 7 KOs) is set to go for knockout number eight in a six-round junior middleweight bout.

Franco on victory over Moloney: ‘I wasn’t nervous when the decision was being read’

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We got another night of Top Rank Boxing and another upset. Joshua Franco (17-1-2, 8 KOs) defeated Andrew Moloney via unanimous decision to win the WBA super-flyweight world title Tuesday evening by scores of 115-112 and 114-113 2x.

Franco dominated down the stretch, knocked Moloney down in the 11th round and swept the 12th on all three judges’ cards to secure the victory.

“After the fourth round, I gained the momentum and figured him out. I always knew this was possible,” Franco said. “I wasn’t nervous when the decision was being read. I knew I’d done enough to win this fight. My coach, Robert Garcia, had me ready. I’m going home with the belt.”

Moloney (21-1, 14 KOs), from Melbourne Australia, was making his American debut.

“It just wasn’t my night tonight,” Moloney said. “This was not the best version of Andrew Moloney, but full credit to Joshua Franco. He deserved to win the title with his effort. He closed the fight strong, like a true champion.

“I’ll be back. One loss won’t define me.”

Diaz Decisions Sanchez

Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz (26-2, 16 KOs) is back in the world title picture. Diaz, from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, bested Jason Sanchez (15-2, 8 KOs) via 10-round unanimous decision (98-92 2x, 97-93) in a crossroads featherweight fight.

Diaz has now won two in a row since an April 2019 decision loss to Shakur Stevenson. He has his sights set on a world title opportunity at either featherweight or junior featherweight.

“I can fight at featherweight, or I can make 122 pounds. Whatever Top Rank wants, but I’m ready for a big fight in either weight division. I am a completely different and improved fighter from the one who fought Shakur Stevenson last year,” Diaz said. “I worked on my power in the gym. My coaches, Nelson Rodriguez and Freddie Roach, got me ready for tonight.”

— In a six-round battle of unbeaten junior welterweight prospects, Miguel Contreras (11-0, 6 KOs), from Bakersfield, California, bested Rolando Vargas (5-1, 5 KOs) by unanimous decision. All three judges scored it 58-56.

— In a six-round heavyweight bout, Helaman Olguin (8-3, 3 KOs) upset the previously undefeated Adam Stewart (8-1-1, 5 KOs) via majority decision by scores of 57-57 and 58-56 2x.