Pedro Guevara def. Andrew Moloney via SD (115-113 x2, 113-116) — for interim WBC super flyweight world title

TO COME…

Joe Goodall v Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu — heavyweight

Hemi Ahio v Lucas Browne — heavyweight

PRELIMS

Imam Khataev def. Ricards Bolotniks via TKO in Round 6

EARLIER:

AUSSIE MOLONEY RETIRES AFTER HEARTBREAKING SPLIT DECISION CALL

Andrew Moloney has retired in stunning circumstances after what Peter Badel described as “the great Australian robbery” in a split decision (115-113 x2, 113-116) defeat to Mexico’s Pedro Guevara.

It was heartbreak for Moloney, who was fighting for the vacant WBC interim super flyweight belt and said earlier in the week it was “probably both of our last attempts at a world title”.

If that wasn’t motivation enough, the 33-year-old also wanted to ease the pain of his brother Jason, who lost his WBO bantamweight title in agonizing fashion against Yoshiki Takei.

It looked like Moloney had done enough to win Sunday’s fight, with the Australian telling Ben Damon afterwards that he felt like he was “in total control”.

“Absolutely. I felt in total control. I did what I had to do in there tonight just to get through the rounds and win,” Moloney said.

“I don’t want to make excuses but I went into this fight with a torn bicep. I couldn’t throw that left hook unless I needed to – but I didn’t feel like I needed to throw it because I was in total control.

“I just want to say thank you to Top Rank, thank you for my team for everything you’ve done for me.

“But I’m done with this sport. That’s the last you’ll see of me.

“I want to thank my sponsors for everything they’ve done for me over the years because I’m retired, I’m out. I love you all but sorry, f**k that!”

Moloney impressed early with his outside boxing, having one of his best moments near the end of the third round as he landed a big right hand and backed Guevara up to the ropes, ripping to the body.

Meanwhile, even when Guevara was having success working towards the body, Moloney’s timing over the top was on point as the Australian landed plenty of counters, particularly with straight right hands.

Guevara though started to land with damage late in the fifth round, peppering away until the final bell and getting through with a big right hand to at least give Moloney something to think about.

“Pressure is what is going to get Moloney at this stage,” Porter said in commentary.

The next two rounds were closely fought with Porter giving the edge to Moloney but Guevara was starting to both put more power on his strikes while also increasing his accuracy.

Still, as had been the case for the majority of the fight, while Guevara was firing away with more volume to the body the Australian was getting through with the bigger shots up the top.

Ultimately little changed in the final few rounds of the fight, with Porter pinpointing the “movement” of Moloney compared to the “flat-footed” Guevara as the “difference”.

“You think he’s back in the big time and what a performance,” added Damon.

Instead, Guevara was the one who had his hand raised after his effective countering all fight while Moloney was left to wonder what could have been.

Speaking after the fight, Porter said it reminded him of his split decision defeat to Errol Spence Jr., declaring moments like Sunday are a reminder of when “boxing looks bad”.

“It reminds me of my fight with Errol Spence Jr. and all credit to him, he won the fight. But I went back and watched that fight and I never saw the numbers clicking in terms of punches landed,” Porter said.

“And the same thing tonight in terms of numbers. The numbers were not reflecting what I was seeing. I actually had him (Moloney) winning this fight 10-2… I thought he was in total control. The moment I heard him say, ‘I want to thank Top Rank’, I said, ‘He’s done’, because that’s what boxing does to fighters.

“Boxing makes fighters not want to be in it. We give our best… we put in so much hard work… and when it doesn’t go the way we expect it to and there’s nothing you can do to explain it, why do we want to go through it again?

“… This is when boxing looks bad. This is why fighters don’t stay in the sport. I’m [going] to keep it real. Around the ring we don’t have boxers, we have judges, we have people who are taught how to judge. You aren’t taught how to box and then how to judge.”

FORMER CHAMP UPSET, FUMES AT ‘JOKE’ CONTROVERSY

The drama didn’t stop there, with Cherneka Johnson defeating Nina Hughes via majority decision to win the WBA bantamweight world title in contentious circumstances.

The fight itself was incredibly close but initially announced in Hughes’ favour, with the Brit having her hand raised before the ring announcer correctly overturned the decision and awarded it in favour of the challenger.

Johnson said she thought she won the fight but Hughes did not agree, declaring it a “joke” and adding there “has to be a rematch”.

“I thought I’d won the fight,” Johnson said.

“Then when they announced Nina I just had to accept it. I’m not the judge and I’m just glad that they figured out (it was) the wrong decision.

“I thought I controlled centre ring and landed the cleaner shots. Nina was a tough fight… I’m not the judges but I definitely think I won that fight. I’m just over the moon I won this bout.”

The opposite was true for Hughes, who was at a loss to explain what transpired.

“I just don’t get it,” she said.

“How can they announce I had won and then change the scores? I thought I’d dominated early. I thought she won a few of the later rounds but I felt like I won it comfortably. I don’t get how you can announce the winner and then change the scores?

“It’s a joke. I feel like I’ve been robbed big time. There’s got to be a rematch. I didn’t lose that fight.”

George Kambosos’ promoter Lou DiBella said it was “unfair” that Hughes had been mistaken.

“I think that the announcement that’s wrong shouldn’t happen,” he said.

“It was a very close fight but I’m sort of shocked. It’s unfair to have to suffer through that, to think you’ve won and celebrate and have a decision turned over. That’s screwed over.”

KAMBOSOS’ STABLEMATE STUNS IN STOPPAGE WIN