Jason Moloney has survived an enthralling 12-round battle with Mexico’s Saul Sanchez to successfully defend his WBO bantamweight world title in Canada.
The Australian had to recover from Sanchez’s aggressive start, using all of his ring craft and bravery to turn the tables and edge to victory via a tight points decision in Quebec City on Sunday (AEST).
One judge (114-114) could not split them, while two others scored seven rounds in 33-year-old’s favour to the challenger’s five (116-112) in Moloney’s first defence of the belt he won last May.
So tight and fluctuating was the contest that those judges often disagreed on who won which round, Moloney’s general dominance through the middle stages of the fight and in the final two rounds – he took five of a possible six votes in the 11th and 12 rounds – the difference.
Fans were impressed with the action and took to social media to comment.
Jason Moloney made his first successful defence of his WBO bantamweight world title
Both men left everything they had in the ring, with the Aussie just edging out the victory
‘Early FOTY (Fight of the Year) contender already,’ commented one X user.
‘Very good fight. Would love to see that again,’ replied another.
‘Great fight. I had him winning by 2,’ replied a third.
It sets up the potential of a mouth-watering homecoming unification battle alongside George Kambosos Jnr, who is set to face Ukraine’s two-time Olympic champion and three-weight king Vasily Lomachenko in May for the vacant IBF lightweight.
Moloney could face IBF champion Emmanuel Rodriguez, five years after a loss to the Puerto Rican for that title.
Or he could fight Junto Nakatani, who has moved up a division after knocking out Andrew’s twin brother Jason to win the WBO super flyweight title last year.
A third option is a date with WBA champion Takuma Inoue, whose brother Naoya Inoue stopped Moloney in 2020 to retain his IBF and WBA straps.
Moloney’s eyebrow was split by a headbutt early in the fight with Sanchez but as blood began to flow in the fourth round the Australian found his rhythm.
Sanchez had an aggressive start scoring well on the Aussie champion
Fight fans got to their feet and applauded the compelling contest after it was over
Sanchez came again in the later rounds, forcing Moloney to draw on his last reserves and stave off the flagging Mexican’s incredible flurry on tired legs in the last 20 seconds.
Earlier Russian-born, Sydney-based light heavyweight Imam Khataev improved to 6-0, dominating Poland’s Michal Ludwiczak in a second-round stoppage.
The 29-year-old, who won bronze for Russia at the Tokyo Games but now fights under the Australian flag, hasn’t been taken beyond the third round in any of his six professional victories.
Fellow Australian Rohan Murdock (27-2) fights Canadian Christian Mbilli in the co-main event before countryman Artur Beterbiev – who boasts a perfect 19 stoppages in 19 fights – defends his light heavyweight belts against England’s Callum Smith.