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Aust's Moloney wins Las Vegas bout

3 minute read

Jason Moloney was impressive in battering Mexico's Leonardo Baez in a seventh-round TKO win in Las Vegas.

JASON MOLONEY.
JASON MOLONEY. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Australian bantamweight Jason Moloney has scored an impressive technical knockout victory over Mexico's Leonardo Baez in Las Vegas.

Moloney is hoping the impressive win at the MGM Grand casino on Friday (AEST) will set up a potential world-title fight and ease some of the pain of watching his identical twin brother, Andrew, lose his championship belt in the same ring two days earlier.

Baez was 10cm taller and had a 4cm reach advantage but the Australian was on a search-and-destroy mission, battering the Mexican with body and head shots.

At the end of the seventh round Baez's face was cut and covered in blood.

Baez's corner called the fight off.

"This is a big step towards me fighting for another world-title and I want that dream and belt so bad," Moloney said.

Two of the judges had Moloney up 69-64 with the third giving it to the Australian 68-65.

Melbourne-born, Kingscliff-based Moloney, 29, came close to a world-title in Florida in 2018 when he lost a split decision against American champion Emmanuel Rodriguez in Florida.

Baez is Moloney's fourth straight knockout win since the loss.

It also re-charged the Moloney family after Tuesday's devastating loss at the MGM.

Andrew appeared on track to defend his WBA super-flyweight belt against Texan fighter Joshua Franco until he was knocked down in the 11th round and lost a tight unanimous points decision.

Two of the three judges gave the fight to Franco by just one point.

Andrew suffered perforated eardrums and was briefly hospitalised, but was at the MGM to support his brother against Baez.

Andrew is hoping for a re-match with Franco.

The MGM bouts are being held in a "bubble", with boxers and their support staff living, training and tested regularly for COVID-19 in a secure area of the casino complex.

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