Super flyweight contender Andrew ‘The Monster’ Moloney 21-2 (14) is ready to get back in the win column when he takes on Filipino Froilan ‘The Sniper’ Saludar 32-4-1 (22) at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in Newcastle, Australia on December 9.
The 30-year-old Australian is coming off a trilogy of fights against WBA ‘regular’ 115-pound champion Joshua Franco 18-1-2 (8). The first and third fights were competitive points losses. The second fight should have gone Moloney’s way after he closed Franco’s eye with a punch that was incorrectly ruled to have been caused by a headclash. The fight was stopped after two rounds and ruled a no contest.
That has left Moloney without a win in the past two years, a situation he is desperate to change.
“My preparation for this fight has been excellent! I started training as soon as I landed back in Australia after my loss to Joshua Franco,” Moloney said.
“I believe I have learnt a lot from that trilogy and I am extremely hungry to get back to the top and become world champion again.
“There has been a big buzz in the gym with Bruno Tarimo and my brother Jason both preparing for world title eliminators and myself getting ready for December 9. We have all been pushing each other really hard and have had great sparring with each other as well as Sydney based Argentinian Emiliano Tissera.”
Moloney wants to earn a shot at either WBO champion Kazuto Ioka 27-2 (15) or IBF boss Jerwin Ancajas 33-1-2 (22) who are rumoured to be facing off in Japan on New Years Eve.
“This will be a great fight. It’s a fight I believe could go either way and certainly one I’ll be watching very closely,” he said.
“I’m really hope that I can get the opportunity to fight the winner of this fight sometime in 2022.”
Saludar, 32, is an experienced campaigner who has only ever lost to WBO flyweight champion Sho Kimura, McWilliams Arroyo, Takuma Inoue and Ryoji Fukunaga.
“Saludar is a dangerous opponent. He is very experienced and his losses have only come against very high-level fighters,” Moloney said.
“He is explosive and has a long reach but I believe I will be adding another KO loss to his record.”
There is a lot on the line for Moloney. Not only is he looking to work his way back to a world title shot, but the bout will also be broadcast live in the United States so he knows he needs to impress.
“I am really excited to be fighting in Australia again for the first time in over two years,” he said. “The fight will be shown live on Fox Sports in Australia and ESPN in America so I plan on making a statement, showing what I have learnt from my recent fights and putting on a devastating performance.”
