When speaking to Jason Moloney on the phone as he made the short drive from the Gold Coast to headline against Andre Donovan in Brisbane this Thursday, the former WBO bantamweight world champion told me that “it feels as if the boot is on the other foot for a change” following a career primarily as a road-warrior.
“It’s a really big opportunity and I’m looking forward to it,” Moloney said in an exclusive interview with Boxing Social. “I’m headlining the show, which is the first time since I fought [Naoya] Inoue. It feels good to be back at the top of the bill with everyone coming out to support me, but I’m taking that role seriously and making sure I put in a great performance. So that everyone wants to come back and watch me again.”
Moloney (28-4, 20 KOs) lost his beloved WBO belt on away-day with Yoshiki Takei at the Tokyo Dome in Japan nearly two years ago. The 35-year-old Australian, by his own admission, feels that his performance was beneath his ability, with all three judges giving the nod to Takei in Moloney’s unconvincing Japanese debut.
Despite the loss another call from Japan followed, but so did defeat at the hand of Tenshin Nasukawa back in Tokyo last February. With his former promotional deal with Top Rank a distant memory coupled with back-to-back losses on his resume, Moloney found his options limited. It was just over a year previously that he received a standing ovation from the ten thousand fans at the Centre Videotron in Quebec City on the undercard Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith when he outpointed Saul Sanchez to defend his WBO world title.
“It’s hard work fighting on the road,” Moloney said in the comfort of driving just an hour to his next fight. “Of course, I’ve loved doing it and take a bit of pride in being a road-warrior, having the flag on my back and doing it the hard way. But it’s nice to be fighting back home in Australia, and it’s nice to be able to sell-out a venue and have all your friends and family come and watch. Whereas on the road, it gets pretty lonely on the road. You don’t always feel that support. It’s pretty comfortable being at home, sleeping in your own bed and cooking all your own food. Everything is familiar. It is great preparation.”
While Moloney globetrotted to lock horns with the likes on inoue and Sanchez, boxing in his homeland was building arguably the king of the cruiserweight division in Jai Opetaia. The former two-time IBF world champion and current Ring Magazine belt holder also had to travel miles to first gain recognition, but was brought home to Gold Coast, Queensland for three-straight title defenses by countryman Mick Francis and his company Tasman Fighters.
“They’ve been exceptional,” Moloney said regarding his current promoter. “It feels good having someone to back you and give you the pathway to allow you to progress. It was hard toward the end of my Top Rank deal where I was a little bit inactive and waiting for phone calls. Now it is set out. I know the dates, my opponents, and titles I’m fighting for. It feels great to have Tasman’s backing. The chance to headline this show shows that they have faith in me. I’ve got to take the opportunity.”
Moloney has linked up with Francis since his two defeats in Japan, bouncing back with a fourth-round stoppage victory against Herlan Gomez on the Opetaia-Huseyin Cinkara undercard in Gold Coast last December. This Thursday the Aussie warrior takes the headline slot, welcoming America’s Donovan to the Fortitude Music Hall in Fortitude Vally in Brisbane.
“People are really interested, and the show is nearly sold-out,” Moloney explained. “Brisbane is not too far from my hometown, so I’ve got a lot of people coming to watch and support me. It’s on Stan, which is big, mate. Stan in Australian is quite a big platform and It’s on UFC Fight Pass abroad. It’s exciting because a lot of my fights have been on the road and I guess a lot of hardcore boings appreciate what I have done, but the general public don’t really know who I am. It will be good to fight in front of a big audience [in Australia] who can tune in to see me fight and have never seen me fight before. It’s a good opportunity to grow my fanbase and get Australia behind me.”
Donovan (12-2, 8 KOs), a 28-year-old soutpaw from Ohio, will make his first appearance outside America and is on a ten-fight unbeaten run following two early career defeats.
“This guy is coming a long way from America, and I know how hard it is,” Moloney predicted. “I know what it is like to fight in another country and finally the shoe is on the other foot. I’ve got the home ground advantage. I’ve had a great preparation and I’m looking forward to it. We got two titles on the line in an IBF intercontinental and a WBC Australasian.
“I know a win here puts me in line for an eliminator or another title shot, so there is a lot on the line. There is lot on the line in every fight at this stage of my career, it’s do or die. I still feel like I got plenty more to give and I’m sure a win here edges me closer toward another world title.”
Moloney’s move to Tasman came with the promise that he would be built towards becoming a two-time world champion in Australia. Being ranked in ninth, seventh and tenth place for the IBF, WBC and WBO titles and recording the first consecutive fights in his homeland since 2022, all is going to plan.
“It’s nice to be active mate,” Moloney added. “That was the exciting thing about signing with Tasman was the promise of keeping me busy and giving me the chance to rebuild and get back to the top nice and fast. I’m really excited to have this chance on Thursday night to take another big step towards a world title. I’m edging closer, and closer, and close to where I want to be.”
