March 29, 2024

In a week where the top draw in boxing joined DAZN a lower tier fight is in its own way a crucial night for boxing’s future in the US, when Emmanuel Rodriguez 18 (12 KOs)-0-0 faces also unbeaten Australian Jason Moloney 17 (14 KOs)-0-0 it will be one of the first tests to see if DAZN as a brand has a long term future in the US. This is because if boxing is to garner popularity in the US again its these sorts of fights, ones that don’t have big names, but which are essential for the long- term health of the sport. A reason why boxing in the UK is so healthy is that fighters no matter the quality, whether fighting for world titles or area titles have a band of dedicated fans that support them and pay good money to see them, so this is why fights like these matter.

On a more obvious note, it also matters because Rodriguez vs Moloney is the quarter final of the World Boxing Super Series and the winner will go on to face number two seed Naoya Inoue in a division that is stacked with talent if not money makers. Rodriguez comes into the tournament as the lowest of the four seeds and on the face of it is a very basic fighter, but like Badou Jack though he is basic he does the basics very well. With a solid guard and educated feet he definitely isn’t going to have the best highlight reel in boxing, nearly all of his shots are the jab and straight right both to the head, but a good control of range and decent physicality was plenty enough to beat Paul Butler last time out for the IBF strap. So, though he isn’t the most dynamic fighter he definitely knows what he is good at and sticks to it well.

In contrast Jason Moloney is a bit more of a frenetic affair, where Rodriguez seems incredibly calm moving his foot inches at a time Moloney is a bit more herky jerky in style. He comes in with more bounce on his feet and while he does throw straight shots often, he does like to loop round the guard with the right hand and goes to the body with the left. Like Rodriguez however there isn’t one particular thing that Moloney does exceptionally well or exceptionally poorly, the only thing I can note is that often after a jab he drops his left low making him susceptible for the right over the top. While he has 14 of 17 knockouts he doesn’t seem to carry one punch power as he’s stopped a lot of lower tier opponents, the best person on his record is Kohei Kono who fought Inoue and Luis Concepcion who was only stopped in the 6th on cuts.

The fight will most likely play out with Moloney coming forward and trying to close the range and Rodriguez popping the jab and throwing the right hand to keep Moloney honest. I doubt Rodriguez will look to get into a tear up, no matter how much Moloney tries to make it one, and I see Rodriguez controlling the range and outboxing Maloney down the stretch for a well-earned points victory.

On the undercard former WBSS contestant Yuniel Dorticos 22 (21 KOs)-1 (1 KO)-0 faces Polish Cruiserweight Mateusz Masternak 41 (28 KOs)-4 (1 KO)-0 in his first fight after the Gassiev defeat. You only need to look at Dorticos’s record to see that always seems to bring excitement, but he will need to calm down and watch to not blow himself out early like the Gassiev fight since Masternak seems durable, going twelve with Tony Bellew losing a relatively close decision and not being knocked out before the 11th.

 

Tickets for the WBSS Quarter-Finals – Rodriguez vs Moloney & Dorticos vs Masternak  – starting from $30 (plus fees) are on sale at TicketMaster.com.