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Andrew Moloney was among the more interested observers for the final major title fight of last year.
Japan’s Kazuto Ioka (28-2, 16KOs) made the fifth defense of his WBO junior bantamweight title, with a victory against countryman late replacement Ryoji Fukunaga (15-5, 14KOs). The bout took place on New Year’s Eve at Ota-City Gymnasium in Tokyo, the tenth such time that Ioka headlined a show on the date.
With his mandatory title obligations already out of the way, Ioka is free and clear to face whomever he chooses for his first fight of 2022. Moloney already has his hand in the air for the assignment.
“It would be an honor to fight a four-weight world champion such as Kazuto Ioka,” Moloney told BoxingScene.com. “I am determined to be world champion again. I hope I get the opportunity to fight Ioka sometime in 2022.”
Australia’s Moloney (22-2, 14KOs; 1ND) resumed his winning ways following a ten-round, unanimous decision victory over Froilan Saludar. Their December 21 bout took place in Sydney, marking Moloney’s first fight in his home country since November 2019, which also coincides with the last time his arm was raised in victory.
An eighth round stoppage of Elton Dharry came with a secondary version of the WBA junior bantamweight title. Moloney hoped to consolidate the title with a shot versus then WBA “Super” champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (50-3, 41KOs) but such a path was never provided. Gonzalez was steered towards a rematch with lineal champion Juan Francisco Estrada (42-3, 28KOs), with both appearing on the same show last October.
By that point, Moloney suffered his first career defeat after dropping a twelve-round, unanimous decision to Joshua Franco last June at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. The fight was the first of an unexpected trilogy, which included a bizarre second fight where Moloney was believed to have regained his title via second-round injury stoppage, only for their November clash—also at MGM Grand—to end in a No-Contest.
A third fight this past August produced a more conclusive outcome, with Franco taking another unanimous decision in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Moloney rebounded with a win earlier this month and remains a top contender in the talent-rich junior bantamweight division.
Ioka was originally due to face Philippines Jerwin Ancajas, the reigning IBF junior bantamweight titlist who was set to travel to Japan for a title unification bout. Those plans were nixed when Ancajas was unable to enter Japan following its strict no-traveler policy effective November 30 in efforts to minimize the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
Meanwhile, Estrada and Gonzalez are on course for a rubber match tentatively set for March 5 in San Diego. The winner will be ordered to next face Franco in a WBA title consolidation clash. The vacant WBC title will be at stake in a February 5 rematch between former lineal/WBC champ Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (50-5-1, 43KOs) and former WBC titlist Carlos Cuadras (39-4-1, 27KOs), who won their first fight and enjoyed a lengthy title reign before conceding the belt to Gonzalez in a September 2016 points loss.
All things considered, Moloney remains as intriguing an available option as anyone for a shot at Ioka—and a title option where the -year-old Ausslie likes his chances.
“I respect him and what he has achieved in boxing but I feel that his style suits me,” believes Moloney. “I’m very confident I can beat him.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox