MOLONEY STOPPED

Kingscliff boxer Andrew Moloney’s Las Vegas dream has turned into a nightmare with the Australian (right) suffering a late knockdown that cost him a close decision and his WBA super-flyweight worldtitle belt.

KINGSCLIFF boxer Andrew Moloney’s Las Vegas dream turned into a nightmare yesterday when the Australian suffered a late knockdown that cost him a close decision and his WBA super-flyweight world-title belt.

Texan challenger Joshua Franco claimed the belt with a unanimous points decision that delivered Moloney the first loss of his professional career.

“This was not the best version of Andrew Moloney, but full credit to Joshua Franco,” Moloney said.

Franco was trailing on the scorecards when the bout turned in the 10th round after Moloney slipped in the middle of the ring.

Moloney struggled to recover and Franco hit the Australian with left and right head shots to open up a cut above his left eye.

Franco dominated the 11th round with furious combinations that knocked Moloney down. The big 11th round proved crucial on the judges’ scorecards, with Dave Moretti and Patricia Morse Jarman giving the fight to the Texan 114-113.

The third judge, Julie Lederman, also scored it in favour of Franco, 115-112.

“It was crucial,” Franco said of the knockdown. “I needed that knockdown, but little by little I felt like I was breaking him down.”

Moloney’s identical twin, elite bantamweight Jason Moloney, fights Mexico’s Leonardo Baez in a non-title fight at the MGM Grand tomorrow.