KO for Aussie’s dreams

Moloney meets match

Andrew Moloney has fallen brutally short of adding the WBO junior bantamweight title to the world championship belt won by his brother Jason last weekend.

Attempting to complete an unprecedented double of twin titles by twin brothers in consecutive weeks, Andrew was knocked out cold by Japan’s heavy-hitting Junto Nakatani in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

In distressing scenes, Moloney lay prone on the canvas after a monster left from Nakatani in round

12, not moving, bloodied, bruised and beaten. He was raised onto a stool and treated. The 32-year-old was a massive underdog against the undefeated 25year-old Nakatani at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, paying $4.50 during the week back home in Australia.

There were concerns for Moloney’s health after the brutal knockout. He was taken straight from the MGM Grand to the UMC hospital in Vegas.

His camp said he was alert and awake but needed to be properly diagnosed after being knocked down three times in the fight – rounds two and 11 before the torrid finish.

“I’ll do everything in my power to get the job done,” he said before the fight and he was good to his word, throwing everything he had into one of the most famous rings in the world, but Nakatani was too good, hitting like a sledgehammer.

Fighting three hours before the main event for the undisputed lightweight championship between Davin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko, Moloney walked out to a three-quarters full stadium just before 6pm on a Saturday night in Vegas.

The grandson of Muhammad Ali, Nico Ali Walsh, was peeved by a draw in the preceding bout against Danny Rosenberger. In the lift at the MGM Grand in the morning, he goodnaturedly complained that they’d spelt his name wrong on his takeaway coffee cup. “And the coffee’s terrible,” he said.

Jason Moloney was in Andrew’s corner. His own world title belt was in the locker room as motivation. Nakatani arrived for the bout in a golden robe, grinning after having said he was “100 per cent” certain of victory. Moloney was jumping out of his skin.

Grim-faced, jaw clenched, eyes ablaze. An Australian flag hung across his corner for the introductions. Nakatani oozed the confidence of a 25-year-old with a 24-0 record.

Moloney stared daggers when instructions were given for a good clean fight and so forth. Nakatani had a distinct height and reach advantage.

He rattled Moloney and sent him to his knees in round two and the Aussie battled bravely but was outclassed.