Dethroned world champ’s ‘high-risk, high-reward’ return

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Dethroned world champ’s ‘high-risk, high-reward’ return

Jason Moloney has had to wait for it, but the *********** is relishing a high-profile return to the ring in Tokyo that could fry or fast-track his shot at another world title.

The former WBO bantamweight champion hasn’t fought since losing that belt in a heartbreaking Tokyo Dome points defeat in front of 55,000 fans to Yoshiki Takei last May.

Moloney fell to 27-3 in dramatic scenes, starting slowly before having Takei laid-out on the ropes in the final round but unable to land the knockout blow.

The 34-year-old has been champing for a chance to redeem himself ever since and will finally get it on February 24 against another southpaw and genuine Japanese mainstream star Tenshin Nasukawa at Ariake Arena.

Nasukawa was the world’s No.1 pound-for-pound kickboxer before transitioning to boxing, where he is 5-0, ranked in the top three in the WBO, WBC and WBA, and boasts more than one million

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followers.

Moloney dealt with his title loss by spending five weeks in camp with Seiya Tsutsumi, helping him beat Takuma Inoue to win the WBA bantamweight strap in October.

It meant he was in Japan to watch Nasukawa’s last fight live.

“When he walked out the crowd was going nuts; he’s hugely popular, I know there’s going to be plenty of eyes on this fight,” Moloney told AAP.

“It’s awesome. I can have a good win, take out a good name and get back in the world title mix and open some doors.”

A loss could be equally as impactful, with 11-year pro Moloney remembering the two years of grafting to earn title shots after losing his previous world title fights.

“This is make or break, really,” he said.

“You can’t afford to have two losses in a row.

“One is such a setback, so the thought of two … it just can’t happen.

“I was a world champion one fight ago, I know I have what it takes.

“But the scary thing in boxing is that it sometimes takes so bloody long to get your shot again.

“It’s high-risk, high-reward, but I’ve got to back myself.”

Moloney has stewed on the errors he made against Takei, another former kickboxer, and admitted he wasn’t properly prepared for the southpaw.

“I was still a bit out of my comfort zone, started passively and just gave him that momentum,” the *********** said.

“I learnt a lesson, but this time around it feels so much easier (fighting a southpaw). In sparring it’s night and day, it feels.”

Tsutsumi will defend his WBA belt against Daigo Higa on the stacked card, headlined by bantamweight pound-for-pound star and WBC champion Junto Nakatani against unbeaten ******** David Cuellar.

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