JASON Moloney insists that the fire in his belly burns brighter than ever, with dreams of becoming a two-time world champion remaining at the forefront of his mind.
The tenacious Aussie will return to Japan, a flourishing hotbed of boxing talent, to collide with former kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa on tomorrow morning (UK time).
Perhaps most importantly, the fight represents an opportunity for Moloney, 27-3 (19 KOs), to further elevate his profile in the Land of the Rising Sun, where four formidable champions currently hold all the bantamweight jewellery.
Along with the 34-year-old’s desire to define his legacy, however, comes a more single-minded approach to his craft, limiting those precious times that would otherwise be spent with his family.
“From when I turned professional, the amount of sacrifices I’ve had to make have been endless,” Moloney told Boxing News.
“I moved [from Melbourne] and now live in New South Wales, so that was a tough one for me and my partner, Georgia.
“We packed our bags and moved away from our family, friends and support network, bringing up our two daughters on our own.
“And whenever I fight overseas, I’ll typically miss months of my daughters’ lives. I’ve missed so many of their milestones – them walking and talking for the first time, their birthdays, Christmases. Any sacrifice you name, I’ve made it.”
Sure enough, Moloney’s ten-year career has delivered its fair share of swings and roundabouts, both in and out of the ring.
After falling agonisingly short in his first world title shot against Emmanuel Rodriguez in 2018, ‘Mayem’ would then suffer a second professional blemish, that time to pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue, just over two years later.
But the third attempt, as is so often the case, ultimately proved successful, with Moloney outpointing Vincent Astrolabio for the vacant WBO strap in 2023.
And yet, with little time to celebrate his victory, a defeat to rangy southpaw Yoshiki Takei the following year saw the belt get emphatically snatched from his grasp.
“It’s every fighter’s dream to become a world champion, and it’s amazing when you achieve that, but when you lose that belt it hurts more than anything,” Moloney said.
“That defeat has really ignited a new fire inside of me. I’d only fought one other southpaw in my pro career but, in this camp, I’ve been feeling so much better in front of the southpaws.”
His next opponent is not just any lefty, though. As it happens, Nasukawa, 5-0 (2 KOs), is one of Japan’s most widely supported fighters, boasting a long and decorated career in the world of kickboxing.
In the boxing ring, meanwhile, he is perhaps best known for being reduced to tears following a one-round exhibition bout with Floyd Mayweather.
But now, more than six years removed from his stoppage defeat, the 26-year-old has become one of Japanese boxing’s most marketable poster boys.
“I’m well aware of how much this fight means for my career moving forward; it really is a must win fight for me,” Moloney admitted.
“I was at [Nasukawa’s] last fight in Japan and got to see just how popular he really is. There were so many Tenshin Nasukawa t-shirts, and the crowd was going nuts when he walked out to the ring.
“There were whispers about me and Tenshin squaring off and, after his last fight, I was hoping that I would get that call.
“Now it’s up to me to prove that they’ve made the wrong decision and have tried to move him too fast, perhaps underestimating what I’ve got left in the tank.”
But while Moloney remains laser focused on the task at hand, there is nonetheless a temptation to look beyond his next outing.
“I really love the boxing scene in Japan and, for a bantamweight, it’s the place to be – they’ve got the four champions,” he highlighted.
“I’m confident that a win here will get me another world title shot. Obviously, I’d love a rematch with Takei, because that loss still hurts me and I know I’ve got what it takes to beat him, but I’d also be keen for a fight against any of the other champions.”
Interestingly, Moloney shares a close friendship with WBA titlist Seiya Tsutsumi, as the pair continue to help each other out in numerous rounds of sparring.
Junto Nakatani and Ryosuke Nishida, on the other hand, are little more than food on a plate for the seasoned contender, who remains convinced that neither champion would survive a 12-round battle of attrition with him in the opposite corner.
But regardless of whatever arrives after his next assignment – which takes place on a card featuring both Nakatani and Tsutsumi – Moloney, above all else, looks forward to being reunited with his loved ones.
“I’m sure there’s been plenty of times where [my partner, Georgia] wishes I did something else, but she’s just super supportive,” he said. “She knows how much I love the sport and how much it means to me.
“It’s just brutal on her in the lead up to these fights, with me constantly going away overseas. But, when I win this next fight, we can both celebrate because we’ve both sacrificed a lot to achieve that result.”
