Australian junior bantamweight Andrew Moloney faces the toughest test of his four-year professional career when he faces former two-weight champion Luis Concepcion over 10 rounds at the Bendigo Stadium in Victoria, Australia, on Saturday.

Moloney, who is rated No. 9 by The Ring at 115 pounds, has beaten two former world title challengers, Jether Oliva and, last time out, Richard Claveras, but he concludes that Concepcion’s experience at top level makes him more dangerous.

“Yes, that is right,” Moloney told The Ring. “I have fought a few fighters now who have challenged for world titles, but this is my first time fighting a former world champion.

“Each fight we have tried to raise my level of opposition and this is a challenge I believe I’m ready for.”

The 27-year-old boxer-puncher is acutely aware that he will need to be at his razor-sharp best to turn back the challenge of the heavy-handed, marauding Panamanian buzzsaw.

“Concepcion applies a lot of pressure and throws a lot of punches,” Moloney said. “He seems to have very good stamina and quite good power in his punches.

“I would say his defense is his biggest weakness and that is something we plan on taking advantage of.”

To ready himself for the expectant storm, Moloney has trained at home in Kingscliff, New South Wales. His team have flown four international fighters in to help replicate Concepcion’s style and the fighter insists he’s had the best camp of his career to date.

Moloney (17-0, 10 knockouts) is ranked high with all four sanctioning bodies and a win over Concepcion would put “The Monster” a step closer to his intended target.

“This is the biggest fight of my career and winning this fight could potentially put me next in line to fight Kal Yafai for his WBA world title,” said Moloney. “It is my dream to become world champion and this is the fight that I really want.”

His manager, Tony Tolj, had hoped to get his fighter on the SuperFly 3 card that takes places the same evening in Inglewood, California. However, Tolj believes that a solid victory over Concepcion will be a significant statement in the junior bantamweight division.

“This is massive fight for Andrew” said Tolj. “Concepcion is a former two-time world champion and we have great respect for him. We see him as the best opponent out there apart from the world champions.

“Full credit to Team Concepcion. They have the Latin fighter’s mentality and they were the only ones to agree to the fight, while everyone else priced themselves out or took a weak opponent.

“Our target is WBA world junior bantamweight Kal Yafai. England versus Australia are renowned rivals since they first shipped over their convicts to Australia. Just give us the opportunity and Andrew ‘The Monster’ Moloney will lock up Yafai and throw away the key.

“We want to be the best and, to quote Ric Flair, ‘To be the man, you gotta beat the man.'”

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter @AnsonWainwright

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