Andrew Moloney’s decades of hard knocks and significant sacrifice have paid off after the Australian challenger won a 12-round war to claim the IBF super flyweight world title in Japan.
The 35-year-old mandatory opponent knocked back almost $350,000 to step aside and instead take on Mexican champion Willibaldo Garcia, collecting barely a fifth of that sum for the chance to claim the belt.
Moloney had sensationally quit the sport two years ago after a controversial loss in Perth but reversed his call and, after two bounce back wins, was rewarded with a majority decision (115-113, 114-114, 115-113) in Aichi.
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The former Commonwealth Games champion first fought as an amateur in 2008 and turned professional in 2014.
“I am the happiest man in the world,” Moloney said in the ring after joining cruiserweight Jai Opetaia as the country’s only current male world boxing champions.
“There is not one person in the world happier than I am now.
“I have given everything in this sport for 20 years. There was no way I could leave this ring without winning this world title.”
An accidental head clash caused a cut over Moloney’s left eye in the second round but he stayed patient and busy, targeting the Mexican’s body and maturely avoiding the traps set by the free-swinging champion.
Moloney had slept at his trainer’s gym for the month leading up to his fight, away from family, friends and his business in an attempt to remove all distractions.
He described the preparation as “perfect” and the sacrifices that included spending more than a month in Mexico last year for a fight that never happened and the controversial loss of his first world title strap to Josh Franco six years ago.
With twin brother Jason, himself a former bantamweight world champion, still in the mix for a return to the throne, the dream for both to hold title belts at the same time remains alive.
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