Aussie boxer Andrew Moloney was brutally knocked out with just 18 seconds left in his world title fight – sparking fears for his health as he was taken to hospital: ‘It was like a human shotgun going off’
- The WBO junior bantamweight belt is on the line
- Aussie survives two knockdowns before KO
- First down with an uppercut in the second round
Andrew Moloney was one game short of matching his twin Jason’s world title-winning achievement when he was brutally knocked out in the 12th round by Japan’s Junto Nakatani in Las Vegas.
Moloney showed great toughness to get within 18 seconds of going the distance. after being knocked out in the second and 11th rounds of Saturday’s fight for the vacant WBO junior bantamweight title
Just when it looked like the 32-year-old Australian would last 12 rounds he was tagged with a perfect left hook to the head.
‘That was as brutal a blow as you’ll ever see,’ said one of the commentators of the fight, and it was impossible to disagree.
‘That was devastating,’ commentator Joe Tessitore said from ringside.
Moloney (right) was laid out with a devastating left hand in the 12th round and was hurt so badly by the blow that the referee didn’t even bother to count.
Leading boxing commentator Joe Tessitore called for immediate medical attention for the stricken Aussie as he collapsed motionless on the canvas (pictured)
‘He was laid to rest in a brutal manner. They need immediate medical attention. Incredible blow. It’s like a human gun flowing.’
The referee didn’t even bother to count as Moloney fell to the canvas and needed some time and help to get back up.
Australian boxing commentator Ben Damon said Moloney had punctured both eardrums in the fight in a post-knockout tweet and the fighter was rushed to University Medical Center for post-fight evaluation.
Moloney was hit with an uppercut early in the second but quickly got back to his feet.
Just over a minute into the 11th, a straight left dropped him and just beat the count.
Pre-fight favorite Nakatani 25-0 (19 KOs) enjoyed height and reach advantages and dominated when he got away and landed his stinging uppercuts.
Moloney also allegedly punctured both of his eardrums in the fight
It wasn’t all one-way traffic as the Aussie came back into the fight and landed some great shots (pictured) after being knocked down in the second round
Moloney is trying to emulate twin brother Jason Moloney in his WBO bantamweight title fight in Stockton, Califonia seven days ago.
The former WBA interim super flyweight champion was tagged over the head in the second round by Nakatani.
An accidental headbutt opened a cut over former WBO flyweight champion Nakatani’s left eye early in the third but it was not a factor in the fight.
Moloney gradually got into the fight in the fourth and began to land more regularly in the middle rounds, as he closed the distance and went inside.
He did well in the sixth, backing up his opponent and landing some nice shots.
Moloney (25-3, 16 KOs) continued to land some nice inside shots in the seventh, though Nakatani landed some decent punches as well.
Nakatani reasserted himself from the eighth and was dictating for the rest of the fight, landing from longer range as Moloney had little success backing him up and applying pressure.
