Moloney vs Takei Prediction: Moloney Eyes Tokyo Mayhem

Anticipation is thick in the air as Australian boxer Jason Moloney prepares to defend his WBO bantamweight title against the formidable Yoshiki Takei in Japan on May 6th. Will the Aussie grit out a victory beyond enemy lines? With the stakes soaring, we weigh in with our Moloney vs Takei prediction. 

Moloney vs Takei Prediction: Can the Aussie Defend?

Jason Moloney Preview 

Jason Moloney sets his sights on the second defense of his title as he takes on the undefeated Yoshiki Takei in a showdown at the iconic Tokyo Dome. In a thrilling 12-round war, The Mayhem retained his WBO bantamweight title with a hard-fought majority decision victory over Saul Sanchez in Quebec City in mid-January. 

Moloney has risen through the ranks with impressive consistency across his career. He has tasted defeat only twice in 29 fight career. He boasts a knockout rate of over 65%, flooring his opponents in 19 of his 27 victories.

Since his defeat to Naoya Inoue in 2020, the Aussie has been on an impressive six-fight winning streak against elite competition. However, it's his victory over Vincent Astrolabio that stands as the crowning achievement of his unbeaten run, securing him the coveted WBO World title. 

After surviving a tremendous effort from Sanchez, Moloney will now look to see off Takei and keep hold of the belt. Many pundits are backing the Melbourne man to continue his winning run in their Moloney vs Takei prediction. 

Yoshiki Takei Preview 

Takei, 27, made his name in kickboxing first, where he captured the K-1 super bantamweight championship and two K-1 super bantamweight Grands Prix. He’s since transitioned to boxing, where he boasts a perfect record in his eight-bout career with eight knockouts.

After dominating his first four professional fights, Takei landed a shot at the OPBF super bantamweight champion, Pete Apolinar, in the latter's first title defense. In front of a live audience of 1,420, Takei delivered a stunning fifth-round knockout, earning him the “Fighter of the Month” award from the East Japan Boxing Association and eFight.

Takei strategically dropped down a weight class after defeating the Philippine national bantamweight champion, Ronnie Baldonado, in a non-title bout last July. Facing Moloney marks his first challenge since vacating the OPBF super bantamweight title. So, a bantamweight debut victory would steer the Japanese southpaw straight to the WBO championship title.

Our Jason Moloney vs Yoshiki Takei Prediction: Moloney to Extend Bantamweight Reign 

Our official Jason Moloney vs Yoshiki Takei prediction is a win for Moloney at the Tokyo Dome. 

Despite a clean record in boxing, Takei faces a daunting task in Moloney. The Australian's extensive experience and proven track record in the ring make him a formidable opponent. While Takei may possess similar physical attributes, he has a significant gap to bridge in terms of boxing acumen and ring generalship.

In saying this, Takei’s punching prowess could grant him an advantage against Moloney. He can also trouble the 33-year-old with his greater reach. However, Moloney has shown in the past that he has the patience to weather the early storm and land a killer jab, which we say he’ll do again in this bout.