Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
A sense of calm has swept over Andrew Moloney since arriving in Japan for a world title shot built on years, and hundreds of thousands of dollars, of sacrifice.
The Kingscliff-based super flyweight (28-4) will face IBF champion Willibaldo Garcia (23-6-2) in Nagoya on Saturday in the Mexican’s first title defence.
The 35-year-old Australian spent almost five weeks at trainer Angelo Hyder’s gym away from his wife, children and business before arriving a week ago and won’t properly reunite with them, and the party of about 30 who have travelled to Japan, until the fight’s won on Saturday.
“I spent four weeks on the (Hyder) farm, cut out all distractions and anything that wasn’t going to help me win this fight,” Moloney told AAP from Japan after making weight on Friday.
“It’s a calm feeling, going in knowing you’ve done absolutely everything possible.
“I always pride myself on my preparation for every fight, but this one I’ve found another couple of per cent in everything.
“Made sure everything’s absolutely perfect for this one and I feel amazing, the best I’ve ever felt.”
Barely two years ago Moloney had quit in a rage, claiming corruption after a controversial Perth loss to another Mexican, Pedro Guevara for the WBC interim super flyweight.
The former Commonwealth Games champion and former holder of the WBA’s super flyweight strap cooled down though and won twice to earn another shot, 12 years after making his professional debut.
To get it he’s turned down a step-aside offer of around US$250,000 from Garcia’s camp, who tried everything to avoid fulfilling their obligations against the mandatory challenger.
And he was only granted mandatory status after wasting a month training for a world title eliminator fight in Mexico last year against Argi Cortes that never happened.
Organisers twice shifted the date of the bout after he’d arrived, the second time attempting to relocate the fight to Cortes’ hometown of Mexico City on just five days’ notice.
Fed-up, Moloney withdrew and flew home knowing he may have torn up his own title hopes.
But the IBF sided with the Australian and he’ll earn about a fifth of that step-a-side offer to instead get the chance to hold up a belt he has worked his life for.
“It’s been a long, hard road to get here but I’m glad I stayed persistent and had this relentless drive to get this world title back,” he said.
“There’s been lots. In this camp alone, let alone the last 20-odd years.
“Tomorrow night it will all pay off.”
