Siblings eye world titles
Aussie brothers set to fight on same night
AUSTRALIA’S boxing brothers Andrew and Jason Moloney are set to fight for world titles on the same night – or no more than days apart – as part of a blockbuster championship push also involving megastar Manny Pacquiao.
A key part of Australian boxing’s resurgence, the Moloney twins are now gunning to fight for world titles within the first half of this year – with Jason set to challenge for the WBO bantamweight strap and Andrew the WBO super flyweight crown.
While several opponents have been discussed for Jason, it is understood promoter Top Rank is keen to pit its No.1 contender against Vincent Astrolabio (18-3) from the Philippines.
Another Filipino fighter Reymart Gaballo has also been mentioned as a potential rival should Astrolabio choose to fight for the IBF title instead.
Andrew, meanwhile, is in talks to fight Japan’s undefeated Junto Nakatani (24-0).
There have been suggestions Top Rank would like to have both brothers fight for their belts in America on the same night, or at least on separate cards only days apart.
Regardless, the showdowns also look set to resume Australia’s wonderful boxing storyline with Pacquiao.
It has now been six years since the Pac Man descended upon Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium and, before a raucous crowd of 50,000, lost his WBO welterweight title in a huge upset to Jeff Horn.
Pacquiao has since 2015 also run a boxing promotion company, MP Promotions – with the aim of helping aspiring young boxers, particularly those from the Philippines.
And one of those within his stable is Astrolabio, the 25year-old ranked top two with both the WBO and IBF.
In fact, after his most recent win in December against Nikolai Potapov, Astrolabio revealed he’d earned the sixthround KO after promising a finish to Pacquiao as a birthday present.
Ironically, legendary US promoter Bob Arum – the man responsible for bringing Pacquiao Down Under – will also be present on fight night given he is also now responsible for promoting Australia’s favourite fighting twins.
The bantamweight division’s four major belts have all become available following the decision by undisputed Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue, in January, to move up in weight and chase new titles.
Initially, Jason Moloney was set to fight for Inoue’s vacated WBC belt against yet another Pacquiao countrymen – the famed ‘Filipino Flash’, Nonito Donaire.
But a dispute between the pair’s promotional teams now sees him instead moving across to challenge for the vacant WBO strap, where he is currently ranked No.1. Astrolabio is ranked No.2. Andrew Moloney, meanwhile, looks set to get his shot at Nakatani for the WBO super flyweight strap after it was vacated by another Japanese fighter, Kazuto Ioka.
Andrew made international headlines back in 2020 when, in the second fight of his world title trilogy with Joshua Franco, the Aussie was cruelling robbed via ‘No Contest’.