Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
He can’t quite explain it, but Andrew Moloney sure appreciates it, as the newly-crowned world boxing champion earmarked a return to Japan for his title defence.
The 35-year-old super flyweight needed security to intervene after his upset defeat of IBF champion Willibaldo Garcia in Aichi on Saturday, such was the frenzy for pictures and autographs with the humble Australian.
Moloney (29-4) has fought in regional Australian pubs and stadiums, three times at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and even Fiji during a 12-year professional career.
He’s never experienced fandom like his Japanese debut though, where the lighter-weight talents are celebrated and invested in like no other country in the boxing world.
“It was nearly two hours at the stadium, they had to usher me out cause there was too many wanting photos and signatures,” Moloney told AAP.
“It’s amazing how much they get behind us and I don’t really know why.
“But I’m grateful how they show their support to us because you don’t get that in Australia.
“They love their lighter weights too, more than anywhere in the world and that’s refreshing. We don’t get the recognition we deserve anywhere else in the world.”
Moloney, who ruptured his bicep and quit in a rage citing “corruption” after a loss barely two years ago, had rejected a $350,000 step-aside payment to instead fight Garcia for about $50,000.
He has a history with one of Japan’s leading talents, savagely knocked out by pound-for-pound star Junto Nakatani in their 2023 world title fight.
Twin brother Jason has fought twice in Tokyo, losing his bantamweight world title in front of 55,000 at the Tokyo Dome despite a final-round blitz that almost stopped Yoshiki Takei.
Nakatani fought Naoya Inoue as the headline act that night, the event earning $45 million on the gate and attracted 650,000 pay-per-views.
There are a raft of emerging Japanese talents in Moloney’s weight division and host of current champions to build big-money shows around that the Australian could benefit from.
“They really love me and my brother over here and there will be plenty more fights for us to have here,” Andrew, who has remained in Japan holidaying with his family and team, said.
Garcia had requested to avoid his mandatory obligations and fight high-profile American Jesse Rodriguez, who holds the WBA, WBC and WBO belts, for undisputed status.
A date with Rodriguez for all the belts would be ideal for Moloney, but the Australian isn’t holding his breath.
The Texan is stepping up to bantamweight to challenge Antonio Vargas for the WBA world title in Arizona this weekend.
Whether Rodriguez, who was also a unified world champion at flyweight, then returns to super flyweight is a mystery and the reason Moloney refused to let his chance against Garcia slip.
Bantamweight Jason (29-4), the twin with an identical record to his brother, relinquished his hard-earned title belt in 2024 but has revived his career to get within striking distance of another shot.
The pair have never both held world titles simultaneously – Jason won his a week after Andrew was stopped by Nakatani – and that remains a dream scenario for the Kingscliff pair.
