Australia’s fighting brothers Andrew and Jason Moloney are looking to create a “Hollywood movie” in Las Vegas this Sunday – and only seven months after being stranded “heartbroken” in Puerto Rico.
Having already watched his twin Jason win the WBO bantamweight title in California last weekend, Andrew Moloney is now looking to double down and win junior bantamweight gold against Japanese superstar Junto Nakatani.
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While the 32-year-old will start a $4.20 TAB outsider against the undefeated Nakatani (24-0), Moloney is ready, he says, to “complete the script” and bag a second WBO strap for the family.
Better, the Aussie underdog is fighting on the blockbuster card headlined by unified lightweight champ Devin Haney and Vasyl Lomachenko – with American promoter Bob Arum promising the twins a huge card Down Under if they both win.
Speaking from their Las Vegas camp overnight, Jason suggested he will be displaying his world title belt inside Andrew’s MGM Grand Arena dressing room on fight night to act as motivation for his twin.
Andrew, meanwhile, revealed he has spent the best part of two years studying Nakatani – the same fighter, ironically, who had seemingly destroyed his world title dream late last year.
Back in October, Moloney and his team flew all the way over to the annual WBO conference in Puerto Rico, convinced he was going to be named their mandatory challenger for the junior bantamweight crown.
Instead, and days after arriving, WBO officials gave the honour to Nakatani, who had only just vacated their flyweight title.
“And I was heartbroken,” Moloney recalls.
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“I’d flown all the way over there thinking I was going to be named the No. 1 challenger, and it never happened.
“But it’s funny how things work out.
“In January, (Naoya) Inoue vacated his belts, moved up, and now myself and Nakatani are fighting for the vacant world title.”
Asked how long he had been studying the Japanese star, Moloney continued: “Since about two years ago, when he became the flyweight world champion.
“There was a lot of hype around him at the time, a lot being written, and he was taking opponents out in devastating fashion … so that’s when he started to get my attention.
“Then late last year we heard there might be a chance to fight him, so we started watching tape.
“There was talks we’d go to Japan and fight for his debut at 115 pounds, but the call never came so we started following our own route for a WBO eliminator.”
Now this Sunday, Moloney (25-2) gets the chance to create Australian sports history alongside his twin, who together have spent 20 years enduring all sorts of emotions from inside the sport.
“So I think we’ll make a Hollywood movie,” Jason laughed, speaking a short time before his brother and while nursing a broken right hand.
“On fight night, I’ll be taking my belt along.
“Firstly, so Andrew can see it and get some extra motivation.
“But also so it’s already there ready when my brother brings his own belt back in.
“Then we can celebrate two world titles together.
“Obviously because this is such a unique situation, I haven’t celebrated my win yet.
“After the fight, I didn’t even celebrate at all because I was in hospital until 2am getting my hand looked at.
“By the time I got home, everyone was in bed because we had an early flight to Las Vegas the next day and the focus quickly shifted to Andrew and getting him ready.
“It’s all about Andrew now and once he wins, we’ll have a joint celebration.
“It’s going to be incredible.”
Quizzed on fighting devastating southpaw Nakatani, Andrew said later: “There’s no doubting he is a very good fighter with a lot of hype.
“There are a lot of headlines saying he’s going to be the next superstar of the lighter weight classes, the next Inoue out of Japan.
“But while he has looked great against the opposition he’s fought, he hasn’t fought anyone at my level.
“We’ve studied the guy a lot and I’m really confident … the closer this fight gets, the more confident I’m feeling about taking his undefeated record.
“I’m ready to make him uncomfortable in there. I’m counting down the days.”
Moloney added that he was receiving extra motivation this week from not only his sibling’s win, but also from the hype of being on such a big Las Vegas card.
“We’ve fought inside the MGM Grand before but this is something different,” he said.
“Back then, it was during Covid when everything was in a bubble and the fights were in the conference centre.
“This one though, it’s a full house inside the MGM Grand Arena, huge card, and there’s a real buzz out on the strip.
“It’s actually mind blowing.
“Fighting in Las Vegas, on a huge card, undefeated rival, and the week after Jason wins a world title … it’s honestly bigger than any dream I’ve come with inside my own head.”
Told of his brother’s Hollywood movie statement, he laughed: “Yeah, we might have to look into things once I get the job done, complete the script.”