Naoya Inoue affirmed that he is one of the best fighters in the world as he took out Jason Moloney in round seven to retain the WBA/IBF Bantamweight title at the MGM Grand Bubble Conference Center in Las Vegas.
In Round six, Inoue scored a knockdown with a counter right.
In the final seconds of round seven, Inoue landed a brutal right hand that folded Moloney to the canvas. The fight was stopped after Moloney unsuccessfully tried to get up at 2:59.
Inoue, 117.7 lbs of Yokahama, JAP is 20-0 with 17 knockouts. Moloney, 117.9 lbs of Melbourne, AUS is 21-2.
Inoue said, ““The final punch, the finishing punch, I’m very happy and satisfied with that punch.
“Moloney has a great defense, and it was very difficult to get through. The two punches you mentioned are something we really practiced in Japan a lot, and I was able to perform well and use it, and I’m very happy with that.”
Added Bob Arum, Top Rank Chairman: “The Monster is a special fighter. I haven’t seen a young fighter like that in a long time. And credit to Jason Moloney for fighting like a warrior. He gave it his absolute best.”
Mayer Decisions Brodnicka; Wins WBO Jr. Lightweight Title
Mikaela Mayer won the WBO Junior Lightweight world title with an emphatic 10-round unanimous decision over Ewa Brodnicka.
Mayer dominated the fight on the inside, where Brodnick could only hold. Brodnicka was docked points in round six and seven for holding.
Mayer landed 160 of 529 punches; Brodnicka was 86 of 313.
Mayer, 129.8 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 100-88 twice and 99-89 is now 14-0. Brodnicka, who lost her belt at the scales on Friday as she was .1 pounds over the 130-lb. limit is now 19-1.
“I definitely want to unify this division. I don’t want to wait around. I don’t want to take a couple of years to do it. I want to do it right away. So, {WBC champion} Terri Harper told me to get a belt. Eddie Hearn told me to get a belt. I have the WBO belt now, so let’s make that fight happen. I want Terri Harper next.”
Robson Conceicao was dropped and docked two points, but some how was able to eek out a razor thin unanimous decision over Luis Coria in a junior lightweight fight.
In round two, Coria dropped Conceicao with a left hook. In Round four, Conceicao was deducted a point for a low blow. Conceicao was docked another point for a low blow. The fight was a toe-to-toe battle that both land hard shots with Conceicao getting the disputed win.
Conceicao, 128.8 lbs of Brazil won by scores of 95-92 twice and 94-93 and is now 15-0. Coria, 128.6 lbs of Moreno Valley, CA is 12-4.
Julian Rodriguez stopped Jose Lopez in round three of a scheduled 10-round junior welterweight bout.
Rodriguez dropped Lopez four times, and the fight was stopped at 2:10 of round three
Rodriguez, 142.6 lbs of Bergan County, NJ is 21-0 with 14 knockouts. Lopez, 142.3 lbs of Tormon, MN is 29-8-2.
Jared Anderson stopped Luis Eduardo Pena in round one of a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.
Anderson landed a plethora of power punches to the head and body and Pena took a ferocious beating until the bout was stopped at 2:14.
Anderson, 246.1 lbs of Toledo, OH is 7-0 with seven knockouts. Pena, 229.6 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 6-2.
Andy Hiroka remained undefeated with a 4th round stoppage over Rickey Edwards in a scheduled eight-round junior welterweight bout.
Early in round three, Hiroka sent Edwards to the canvas with a right hook. It was another right hook that put Edwards down in the 4th. Later in the round, with Edwards hurt, a barrage of punches sent Edwards down again. A few seconds later, Hiroka landed a flurry that forced the stoppage at 2:20.
Hiroka, 140.9 lbs of Yokahama, JAP is 16-0 with 10 knockouts. Edwards, 140.7 lbs of Paterson, NJ is 12-5.
