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Moloneys hit Vegas for boxing's return

3 minute read

WBA super flyweight world champion Andrew Moloney and his twin and top five ranked bantamweight Jason, are in Las Vegas ready for boxing's resumption there.

Australia's boxing twins Andrew and Jason Moloney have arrived in Las Vegas ready to make an impact when the sport resumes, after getting exemptions to travel to the United States.

Andrew, the WBA super flyweight world champion, and twin Jason, who is ranked in the top five of the bantamweight division by all four major organisations, are both expected to fight on a Top Rank card.

Legendary promoter Bob Arum has spoken about staging a show before the end of June and is expected to make announcements about dates, venues and fights shortly.

Top Rank contacted the Moloneys' manager Tony Tolj on Monday last week asking how soon he could get the brothers over to America and they surprised the organisation with their quick arrival amid the coronavirus travel restrictions.

Tolj went through a migration agent and was told the process could take anywhere from 2-3 days to 2-3 weeks.

It turned out to be the former, with the siblings' world-class boxing status enabling them to get a clearance.

"If Andrew wasn't the world champion and Jason wasn't the WBO number two (contender) we wouldn't have got the exemptions," Tolj said.

"I rang the boys on the Thursday and said 'boys pack your stuff.'

'I got the flights ready for Friday. We had to go to Sydney overnight there and then Sydney to San Francisco and San Francisco to Las Vegas.

"Everyone in the Top Rank staff can't understand, (saying) 'it's a miracle that you guys have been able to get in the country when we can't even get Mexicans and Canadians.'"

The Moloneys were due some good fortune after both had fights in America in March cancelled due to the cotronavirus crisis just a few days before they were due to leave Australia.

Tolj said Andrew's first defence may not be against Mexican Israel Gonzalez, who he had been scheduled to fight in March, while Jason's opponent also still has to be confirmed.

He said the brothers were wearing masks and taking hand sanitiser everywhere they went and were ready to fight, having trained strongly throughout the shutdown.

"We said we could fight next week if we needed, we're not joking either," Tolj said.

"These boys are ready to go, and some of these opponents just haven't been preparing, so we want to catch them off guard.

"We've put in the hard yards, we want to get that advantage."

He said the fights were likely to be in an MGM property in Vegas, but in smaller areas like a ballroom, rather than a big arena, as there would be no crowd.

"It's just going to be the fighters, our corner, production staff, commentators and that's it," he said.

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