Editor’s note: This article was originally published on SportingNews.com.
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A devastated Andrew Moloney says he was unaware referee Russell Mora had ruled Joshua Franco’s eye injury was caused by a head clash and that he would have stayed away from the swollen eye until after the fourth round if he did.
The junior bantamweight fight — for a secondary title — was stopped after the second round and ruled a no-decision because Franco couldn’t see Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
If Mora had declared the injury was caused by Moloney’s punches — or if four rounds had been completed — then Moloney would have won by technical knockout.
Nevada State Athletic Commission officials reviewed the fight for almost half an hour to determine whether the head clash occurred. Finally, they ruled that Mora had made the correct decision.
Moloney is adamant there wasn’t a head clash and believes there’s evidence a jab caused the swelling to Franco’s eye.
“There’s clear footage of me landing a jab on Franco where his eye was fine,” Moloney told Sporting News. “The jab lands directly on his eye, he holds his eye, he lets his hand down and his eye is already swollen.
“I don’t know what more they needed to see on the replay. The instant replay is in use here in Nevada, and they used it, but they didn’t change the decision. I just don’t understand it.”
Thinking Franco’s injury was caused by his punches, Moloney attacked the eye and thought he had won the bout via TKO when it was stopped ahead of the third round.
He says he would have steered clear of the injury if he had been told it was the result of a head clash.
“The referee hadn’t made it clear to us that it was an accidental head clash,” Moloney said. “He should have told us that that was his ruling, and I would have left the eye alone for another few rounds.
“And after four rounds I would have worked on the eye, and it would have gone to the scorecards. They made no communication that was his ruling, so I celebrated thinking I’d won a TKO.
“But I knew it was a punch. That jab kept landing and the eye started to shut. I knew I was going to stop him. I just can’t believe they’ve robbed me of this moment. It hurts.”
While viewers around the world watched numerous replays of the first round as officials searched for a head clash, Moloney waited in agony unable to see a big screen.
He said Top Rank boss Bob Arum and commentators Andre Ward and Tim Bradley all told him he should be declared the winner.
“He (Arum) was pissed off, and he’s already got lawyers onto it already to try and overturn the decision,” Moloney said. “He asked us to come into the office on Monday. Worst case is that he’s got options on Franco’s next fight and it will definitely be against me. He won’t let him fight anyone else.
“That’s obviously good news, and hopefully they do overturn the decision, but I’m still devastated they robbed that moment in the ring from me.”
Moloney traded heated words with Franco and his team in the minutes after the result was made official. He says the 25-year-old from San Antonio doesn’t deserve to be a world champion.
“His team were a joke. They were screaming at me, and one of them was telling me I didn’t want to be in there and wanted out,” Moloney said. “One was telling me about the first fight, that he broke my nose. But I’m not arguing about the first fight, I’m arguing about this fight.
“I fought through a broken nose and perforated ear drums and a cut eye. Tonight, as soon as it got tough, he wanted out of there. I could sense it. After the fight, he knew he’d lost. I know he doesn’t deserve to have that belt. He knows he doesn’t deserve it, and he knows he won’t be carrying it around too much.”
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