Aussie's epic title win
Moloney hangs on to his belt after outlasting Sanchez
Jason Moloney returned to his corner after 10 rounds of brutality knowing the scores were likely tied and his right eye, again, was filled with blood.
“And that,” he recounts, “is when I told myself ‘this where you’re best work is done … go show how badly you want this.”
And guess what? While it may have taken him three attempts to win a world title, Australia’s WBO bantamweight king needed only one defence to prove himself a champion in every sense.
Better, the gutsy 32-yearold will now demand a blockbuster world title unification Down Under after retaining his strap in a bloody war against Mexico’s Saul Sanchez.
Defending gold for the first time in a massive Top Rank card in Quebec City, Canada, Moloney fought for almost 30 minutes with a large gash over his right eye to eventually claim a gutsy majority decision — 116-112, 116-112, 114-114.
Apart from being an incredibly early contender for ‘Australia Fight of the Year’, it also came on a night where countryman Rohan Murdock also proved himself all heart before being stopped after six rounds against unbeaten Canadian super middleweight star
Christian Mbilli.
According to CompuBox, Mbilli hit Murdock with a staggering 190 power punches through six rounds – and at one point, knocked his mouthguard out and into the crowd – before the Aussie's team called it off.
In the main event, light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev also retained his titles with a seventh-round stoppage of Englishman Callum Smith.
Yet the Moloney win? Well, after walking out to Land Down Under, and with twin brother Andrew holding his title aloft, he then went headlong into an absolute slobberknocker.
So close was the result, ESPN commentator Mark Kriegel scored the championship bout a draw, while Moloney also thought it was likely even going into the championship rounds.
The win will now see the WBO champ chase a blockbuster unification bout with IBF superstar Emmanuel Rodriguez – the fighter who, ironically, beat him via a contentious split decision five years ago.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia immediately after the win, a “spent” Moloney revealed it had been the championship rounds that had got him home against Sanchez.
‘Mayhem’ also revealed the words he could be seen mouthing to himself as the scorecards were being read aloud.
“I was just saying ‘please … please … and still,” he said.
The Aussie also opened up on what was eight rounds battling a nasty head cut — which came in the third following an accidental head clash with Sanchez.
“The team did a great job with the cut but the blood, it was going into my eye,” Moloney said.
“There were a few head clashes throughout the fight – it was a brutal war – and you just have to deal with everything as best as you can.
“But it was hard.”