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Joshua Franco wins trilogy over Andrew Moloney to retain secondary belt
Joshua Franco wanted to right the wrong of the controversial no-contest in the rematch with Andrew Moloney in November.
Franco (18-1-2, one no-contest) used his superior boxing for all 12 rounds to win via unanimous decision (116-112, 116-112, 116-112) to retain the WBA (regular) super flyweight title from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma and to win the trilogy 2-0 with one no-contest.
After a mostly even opening round, Franco won the round and didn't look back from there with 15 seconds remaining when he blasted Moloney with a thudding right hand.
From that point forward, Franco was quicker to the draw, being the aggressor, and landed the harder shots. The tide of the fight nearly changed in the seventh round when referee Jack Reiss scored a knockdown for Moloney at the 1:39 mark of the stanza. When the round concluded, they went to instant replay. It was determined relatively quickly that Moloney missed a right hand, and instead, Franco fell toward the canvas and using his left glove to keep from going down.
The ruling went in Franco's favor, and the 25-year-old continued to outbox Moloney and run his unbeaten streak to eight (5-0-2, one no-contest).
Nico Ali-Walsh scores first-round TKO in pro debut
The grandson of Muhammad Ali didn't disappoint, winning via TKO in the first round. With the crowd chanting "Ali, Ali", the 21-year-old didn't waste too much time.
A one-two punctuated by a straight right hand down the middle sent Weeks to the canvas. Weeks made it up, but like his grandfather, Ali-Walsh closed the show. Three overhand rights to Weeks' head was all the referee needed to see to wave it off and Ali-Walsh is now off to the races.
"This lived up completely to my expectations," Ali-Walsh said in his post-fight interview. "It's been an emotional journey. ... Obviously my grandfather, I've been thinking of him so much. I miss him."
