THE World Boxing Council has ordered top contenders Jason Moloney of Australia and Nonito Donaire to negotiate a title clash for the vacant WBC bantamweight belt, the boxingscene.com website reported late Tuesday (Monday in the US).
“The fight was ordered (by the WBC) over the weekend, with the two sides given until February 17 to reach terms and avoid a purse bid hearing,” Jake Donovan wrote in a story posted on the popular ring website.
Moloney is handled by Bob Arum’s Top Rank, with TR vice president Carl Moretti tasked to lead the negotiations on behalf of the boxer managed by Tony Tolj, while Donaire is represented by Probellum chief Richard Schaefer and manager-trainer wife Rachel, the report added.
“The WBC confirmed during its (November) convention that Moloney and Donaire would be next in line for the title once Japanese Naoya Inoue vacates his unified belts to campaign at junior featherweight,” Donovan wrote.
The undefeated Inoue unified all the world bantamweight straps last Dec. 13 with an 11th-round knockout of Briton Paul Butler, who held the WBO championship, in Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue announced in his hometown of Yokohama last Jan. 13 that he is moving up to the junior featherweight class.
This left the WBC bantamweight title open, enabling Donaire and Moloney, ranked Nos. 2 and No. 1, respectively, to dispute the crown.
“Moloney and Donaire were named as the top two WBC contenders during the sanctioning body’s convention, where it was agreed that their eventually ordered fight would carry a 50-50 split should it eventually make its way to a purse bid hearing,” the story said.
A native of Kingscliff, New South Wales, Moloney, 32, has a ring record of 25 wins, 19 by knockout, against two draws.
With a record of 42 wins, spiked by 28 knockouts and seven losses, Donaire, 40, is aiming to become the oldest world bantamweight champion. He wrested the WBC title with a fourth-round knockout of erstwhile unbeaten titlist Nordine Oubaali of France in May 2021 at the age of 38.
The Filipino Flash made one title defense, stopping compatriot Reymart Gaballo in the fourth round on Dec. 11, 2021 at the Dignity Health Park in Carson City, California.
Donaire then wangled a rematch with Inoue to unify their titles, but unlike their close initial encounter, the Pinoy fighter was knocked out in the second round last June 27 at the Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
The WBC was the first world pro boxing body to order a vacant title fight after Inoue announced that he was moving up in weight.
