Australian Andrew Moloney’s U.S. debut didn’t go well Tuesday. Now it’s twin brother Jason’s turn.
Andrew Moloney was upset by Joshua Franco in his U.S. debut at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, losing a close, but unanimous decision and reportedly suffering two ruptured ear drums to boot.
Jason Moloney watched nervously from ringside, undoubtedly feeling helpless as Franco overwhelmed Andrew late in the fight.
The roles will be reversed on Thursday, as Jason will (20-1, 17 KOs) face Leonardo Baez (18-2, 9 KOs) of Mexico in a 10-round bantamweight bout in a tightly controlled ballroom without spectators because of the coronavirus.
Jason had been scheduled to face Oscar Negrete, the Colombian brawler who went three grueling fights with Franco. However, Negrete pulled out because of a detached retina and Baez stepped in.
Baez on Wednesday weighed in at 118.3 pounds — .3 over the limit – but the fight will go on as scheduled. Moloney weighed 117.7.
“The switch in opponents doesn’t bother me at all,” Moloney told BoxingScene.com. “Everyone in the division is in my sights, and I want to start winning world titles. To do that, I have to beat Leonardo Baez on June 25. That’s the way I look at it.”
Moloney, 29, already came close to winning a world title. He traveled to Orlando, Florida, to challenge for then-bantamweight titleholder Emanuel Rodriguez’s belt but left with a split-decision loss.
He has won his three subsequent fights by knockout, all in Australia.
Baez, a 24-year-old from Mexicali, hasn’t fought at the highest level. He had fought strictly in Mexico until last year, when he outpointed a prospect named Alberto Melian. He is coming off a shutout eight-round decision over veteran Moises Flores in February, his biggest victory to date.
His style is similar to that of Negrete, which makes Moloney’s adjustment a little easier.
“We are coming over here in great shape and ready to fight anyone in the world,” Moloney said. “He’s quite filled out for the division, a lot bigger [than Negrete]) but similarly aggressive style. We’re focused and ready for this fight.”
The weights in the other five fights on the card: Abraham Nova (131.9) vs. Avergy Sparrow (131.5), 10 rounds, junior lightweights; Orlando Gonzalez (126) vs. Luis Porozo (125), eight rounds, featherweights; Vlad Panin (149) vs. Benjamin Whitaker (149), six rounds, welterweights; Clay Burns (143.6) vs. Reymond Yanong (143), six rounds, welterweights; and Waldo Cortes (246.9) vs. Kingsley Ibeh (286.4), six rounds, heavyweights.
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