Injury Update: Andrew Moloney Reflects On His Loss To Joshua Franco

Under the bright lights of Las Vegas, Andrew Moloney was ready to prove he was the real deal at super-flyweight. He ended not only losing his status as champion by the end of the night but also hurt more than his pride.

On June 23, Moloney (21-1) lost to Joshua Franco via unanimous decision inside the MGM Grand Conference Center. By doing so, he won the WBA Super-Flyweight Title. First utilizing his quick hands, Moloney would soon falter around the fifth, giving Franco enough momentum to outland him (103-50 in the last four rounds, according to CompuBox) and knock him down.

“It just wasn’t my night tonight,” Moloney stated after the fight. “This was not the best version of Andrew Moloney, but full credit to Joshua Franco. He deserved to win the title with his effort. He closed the fight strong, like a true champion.

“I’ll be back. One loss won’t define me.”

Moloney won the interim title from Elton Dharry in November 2019 and was promoted to undisputed champion right after. He is a former WBA Oceania Super-Flyweight and Bantamweight Champion.

According to Boxing Scene, Moloney suffered from two perforated eardrums during the bout. As a result, he experienced dizziness and nausea after the fight and required immediate assistance from medical personnel. He received a cut above his eye and was bleeding by his ears during the fight thanks to Franco’s shots.

“He started to throw up and said the body shots got to him according to his twin brother, Jason Moloney,” ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna, who was on the scene, reported. “As a precautionary measure, he was taken out on a stretcher and brought to University Medical Center.”

This is during a time when the health and safety of the fighters are of the utmost importance. Several fighters and trainers have had to be pulled from events due to the coronavirus. Before last night’s event, Joseph Adorno had to back out of his fight due to dehydration issues suffered during weigh-ins.

It is unknown how long it will take for Moloney to recover. He may not appear in the corner of his brother, Jason, who is expected to main event a card this Thursday, June 25.