Jason Moloney is famous in Japan.
The Australian fighter, though normally polite, is such a big presence that one wonders if he could be a crowd favorite when he takes on his compatriot in next month's historic Tokyo card.
The WBO Bantamweight World Champion (27-2) will defend his belt for the second time against Yoshiki Takei (8-0) on May 6th at the Tokyo Dome.
This will be the first competition for Victoria-bred horses in Japan, and it will be a grand event.
A packed house of 55,000 people is expected for the event, which will be the first boxing event at an indoor baseball stadium since Mike Tyson lost to Buster Douglas in 1990.
Moloney already has a huge fan base in Japan, garnering a lot of media attention during his previous training camp visits and winning the fans' affection during a 10-year pro career that has not been easy.
The 33-year-old told AAP: “I was surprised…I don't know if Takei is that well-liked in Japan, but he has quite a bit of support.”
“It seems like quite a lot of Japanese people want me to win.
“Maybe they don't think he's worth it after eight boxing fights.
“If I can get an impressive win here, I'll have even more fans. Maybe I'll leave Japan to fight a little more often.”
Moloney's most recent loss came four years ago against Japan's Naoya Inoue, currently No. 2 in The Ring's pound-for-pound rankings.
The undefeated Inoue, nicknamed Monster, has moved up to super bantamweight and will face Mexico's Luis Neri in Tokyo's headline act, putting all four of his belts on the line.
“I think they like the humble champions over there,” Moloney said of Japan's rising boxing scene.
“They all seem to like my fighting spirit against Inoue and the way I handle losses.
“I don't make excuses. I showed respect, bounced back, improved and became a champion.
“They said they liked those traits and liked the fact that I showed what I learned from the game.
“Players like Stephen Fulton (who lost to Inoue last year) disappear and spend money, and you can't be humble when you lose.”
There are two other world title fights on the card, with a gate take of over $30 million, making it an event on par with the blockbuster event in Las Vegas.
“Japan seems to respect the lightweight division and Inoue helped with that,” Moloney said of his career salary.
“Soon, me and three Japanese fighters will hold the title in the bantamweight division.
“If I can establish myself with good support, that's very exciting.
“It can all pay off, but you have to stay focused.
“After 20 years of training, I'm now in a position where I can start a family and walk away. Not many people can say they've achieved that.”
