Jason Moloney’s unconventional celebrations after world title win over Vincent Astrolabio

Jason Moloney had dreamed of becoming world champion for two decades, but the celebrations weren’t quite what he envisioned.

Moloney defeated the heavy-hitting Filipino Vincent Astrolabio over the weekend in Stockton, Calif. to secure a majority decision victory and the WBO bantamweight title.

The 32-year-old had come up short in two previous World Championship fights, but even a suspected broken hand was unable to fend him off a third time.

MORE: Muhammad Ali’s family tree: Meet Boxing Hall of Famer’s daughter Laila, grandsons Nico and Biaggio, parents, wives and children

Unfortunately, he had to be hospitalized after the fight due to an injury to his power hand.

“The celebrations were certainly not the celebrations I had in mind,” Moloney told Sporting News.

“We went to the hospital to have the hand checked and it was the slowest hospital in history and I didn’t get out until 2am.

“It was just me and my wife Jorja and by the time we got back to the hotel everyone had gone to bed.”

Moloney’s twin brother Andrew will fight Junto Nakatani for the vacant WBO super flyweight title in Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko this weekend in Las Vegas.

With Jason’s belt sewn up, attention quickly turned to his brother’s upcoming fight.

“The team got tired of waiting for me. They flew back to Las Vegas early the next morning to fight Andrew’s fight,” Jason recalled.

“We walked into the hotel and it was completely empty it was a bit like a ghost town and I went up to my room with my wife and the only food there was some cold chicken in the fridge.

“It was certainly a very boring celebration, but the task now is obvious that we are in Vegas. Once Andrew has his victory and becomes World Champion as well, we will make sure the celebrations are double the size.”

Billed as a boxer versus puncher, the match with Astrolabio largely followed that script: the Aussie was able to score with his jab and dodge his opponent’s powerful punches.

To Moloney’s credit, the corner or commentary teams never noticed his hand injury, which he believes happened early in the fight.

“I haven’t seen the counterstrike yet. I think I’ll see if I watch it again, but it was certainly early,” Moloney said of the injury.

“I think it was round three or four. I just hit him with my right hand, a little high on the head, and he had a head like concrete and the pain was just unbearable and I was like, “Yeah, I did something about that.”

“Of course I had to keep throwing it and every time I landed the pain was just insane.

“In any case, I had to fight my way through and simply assert myself. It was easily the worst pain I’ve ever suffered in a fight.”

Astrolabio seemed aware he was off the top of the points list in the later rounds and tried to apply more pressure, but ‘Mayhem’ continued to fight dexterously, using skilled footwork to keep the threat at bay.

While he believes that with a fully functional right hand he might have taken a break himself, Moloney said the injury might have offered a glimmer of hope.

“I spoke to Danny Green afterwards and he said, ‘I think it was good that you hurt your hand in a way, because it really forced you to box and use your jab and your class and yours Using skills,'” he added.

“Which is true in a way because Vincent knew I think his best shot was to get me in some kind of gunfight and catch me with something big if I moved, boxed and got behind me jab, it did.” it was very difficult for him, I could see he was very frustrated with this tactic.

“I threw [the right hand] From time to time but the pain when I used it was unbearable and at times I thought even if it landed I sometimes felt like I was hurting myself more than him.

“So I really had to pick those moments where I could let go and really support the jab, the left hand.”

are you running this weekend Go further with the ForeverRun NITRO’ by PUMA.

When the final bell rang, most observers felt Moloney had done enough to raise his hand.

However, after the first reading of the score, the fight ended in a draw.

“We thought we controlled the fight pretty well and then when I went into the center ring to make the decision I was completely shocked by the 114-114 [scorecard]”Moloney said.

“My heart just dropped and I was like ‘No way’ and flashbacks to my first world title fight with Emmanuel Rodriguez where I lost the split decision and how devastating it was to come so close to your dream and fail, and I just thought, ‘Please, not again.’

“Then when they read the other two scorecards, I thought, ‘That has to be me,’ especially the 116-112. I can’t imagine how they could have given Astrolabio eight rounds and… when they finally said, ‘From… ‘Land Down Under, Jason Moloney’ I just – it was one of the best feelings of my life.

“An enormous relief and then pride and satisfaction that I had finally realized my lifelong dream.”

Jason hopes his triumph can spur Andrew to do the same this weekend.

“I think him being there and watching me win it just made him more excited and motivated and now that I’ve won the world title everyone is obviously in a very good mood so I think it’s his will give a little extra momentum.” And a little more drive,” he said.

“It will be very special if he makes it and we will fly home on Monday with two world titles on the plane and a very special moment for our family, our team and everyone who has supported us along the way. I can barely wait for it.”