Pedro Guevara Shocks Andrew Moloney In Perth With Split Decision Win

In a stunning turn of events at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, Mexican challenger, Pedro Guevara (42-4-1) secured a split decision victory over hometown favourite Andrew Moloney (26-4) in a WBC junior bantamweight interim title fight. 

The closely contested bout saw Guevara employ a strategic game plan, focusing heavily on body punches throughout the fight. By the end of the eighth round, Guevara had landed an impressive 50 body blows, compared to Moloney's mere 15. Despite enduring two head-butts from Moloney, who primarily targeted the head, Guevara remained composed and continued to execute his strategy.

As the fight progressed, Guevara's body attack appeared to take its toll on Moloney, with the Australian becoming less mobile and active in the later rounds. Conversely, Guevara seemed to gain more power in his punches as the bout went on.

The judges' scorecards reflected the close nature of the fight, with two judges scoring it 115-113 in favour of Guevara and one judge scoring it 116-113 for Moloney. Ultimately, Guevara's 86-15 advantage in landed body shots proved to be the deciding factor in his split decision victory.

In a post-fight interview inside the ring, a visibly emotional Moloney expressed his disbelief at the decision, stating, "I felt in total control … I was in total control." He then stunned the crowd by announcing his retirement, saying, "I'm done with this sport. I'm retired. I'm sorry. F*** that."

 Andrew Moloney's loss and subsequent retirement announcement came just days after his twin brother, Jason Moloney (27-3), lost his WBO bantamweight title to Japan's Yoshiki Takei by unanimous decision in Tokyo. Once seen as rising stars in Australian boxing, the Moloney brothers now find themselves at a career crossroads.

In a display of sportsmanship, Guevara expressed his openness to a rematch with Moloney just seconds before the Australian's retirement announcement. However, with Moloney's decision to hang up his gloves, it remains to be seen if this rematch will ever materialize.

Looking Ahead With this victory, Guevara, who stepped in as a replacement for the injured Carlos Cuadras, now holds the WBC junior bantamweight interim title. This positions him as a potential challenger for the winner of the upcoming unification bout between full WBC champion Juan Francisco Estrada and fellow champion Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez, set to take place on June 29 in Phoenix.