Boxing News
Moloney Brothers Back On Haney-Kambosos Rematch Card
Moloney Brothers Back On Haney-Kambosos Rematch Card
Two familiar former world champion brothers will be back on the Devin Haney-George Kambosos undisputed lightweight rematch card for next month. This, as Top Rank Boxing confirmed that twins Jason and Andrew Moloney are returning to to action in Melbourne, Australia.
MOLONEY VS KAIKANHA đ„
WBC World #1 vs #2
Official WBC World Title Eliminator đThe final step towards achieving my dream!
The stakes donât get much bigger than this.Thank you to Top Rank and my team for this huge opportunity. Iâm ready to grab it with both hands! pic.twitter.com/V8chAjC6Qe
— Jason Moloney (@JasonMoloney1) September 15, 2022
From the Top Rank Boxing release,
“Many of Australiaâs top fighting talents will enjoy the Down Under spotlight underneath the highly anticipated rematch between undisputed lightweight world champion Devin âThe Dreamâ Haney and former champion âFerociousâ George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday, Oct. 15 (Sunday afternoon, Oct. 16 local time) at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia.
In the co-feature, two-time world title challenger Jason âMayhemâ Moloney takes on Thai veteran Nawaphon Kaikanha in a 12-round final eliminator for the WBC bantamweight world title.
Former world champion Andrew Moloney, Jasonâs twin brother, battles Dominican contender Norbelto Jimenez in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO International junior bantamweight title. The Moloney Brothers grew up in Mitcham, a suburb of Melbourne, and will have the home soil advantage.
Jason Moloney (24-2, 19 KOs) fell short in his two shots at the bantamweight title, dropping a split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez in 2018 and succumbing via seventh-round stoppage to Naoya Inoue in 2020. Since the Inoue setback, he has won three in a row, including a stunning third-round knockout over Aston Palicte on the Kambosos-Haney 1 undercard in June. Kaikanha (56-1-1, 46 KOs) has won 20 consecutive fights since a 2017 TKO loss to Juan Hernandez Navarrete for the vacant WBC flyweight world title.
He has been campaigning at bantamweight for more than three years, winning 12 straight by stoppage. Kaikanha has never fought outside of Thailand and will make the nine-hour flight to fight Moloney in hostile territory.
âThis fight is one final steps towards me achieving my dream and becoming world champion,â Jason Moloney said. âNawaphon Kaikanha is a very experienced and capable opponent who has had 58 professional fights and only one defeat. To have this fight in Melbourne, at Rod Laver Arena, in front of all my family and friends, is amazing and gives me even more motivation. Thank you to my manager, Tony Tolj, Top Rank, and everyone involved for making this fight happen. I will grab this opportunity with both hands and earn my shot at becoming the WBC world champion.â
Andrew Moloney (24-2, 16 KOs) held the WBA 115-pound world title briefly until Joshua Franco dethroned him in June 2020, but three fights against the American standout introduced him to an international audience. Moloney has kept active since a decision defeat to Franco last August, going 3-0 and rising the junior bantamweight rankings. Like his brother, Andrew Moloney made the most of his homecoming on the Kambosos-Haney 1 bill.
He busted the right eye of Alexander Espinoza, who retired on his stool following the second round. Jimenez (31-9-6, 16 KOs) is a two-time world title challenger who is unbeaten in four fights, a run that includes a spirited draw last December against four-weight world champion Donnie Nietes. He has authored a remarkable career turnaround, as he began his career 2-8-1. Since that low-water mark, Jimenez is 29-1-5 over the past 11-plus years.
âIâm hoping that an impressive win over Jimenez earns me a shot at one of the world champions next,â Andrew Moloney said. âThis is exactly the type of fight Iâve been wanting, to show the improvements I have made and that I am ready to become world champion again. Iâm coming to put on the best performance of my career.â
Haney-Kambosos 2 will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+.
A veteran broadcaster of over 25 years, T.J. has been a fight fan longer than that! Heâs the host of the âBig Fight Weekendâ podcast and will go âtoe to toeâ with anyone who thinks that Marvin Hagler beat Sugar Ray Leonard or that Tyson, Lennox Lewis or Deontay Wilder could have beaten Ali!