JASON Moloney has been WBO bantamweight champ for eight months now and counting.
But as for feeling it?
Um, no.
“Because,” he shrugs, “I’m still chasing the euphoria that’s supposed to come with it”.
Boxing: Moloney vs Sanchez and Beterbiev v Smith SUN 14th JAN 12PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
Which is why, for so many reasons, this Sunday matters.
When for the first time as world champion, this 32-year-old Aussie will look to not only defend for the first time against America’s Saul Sanchez, or go six straight, but seek out that feeling, that euphoria, he knows should be his.
Understanding that while he may have claimed WBO gold way back in May last year, in the process fulfilling 20 years of sacrifices and two previous title attempts, there was no celebration afterwards.
Not much of anything, really.
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Instead, and thanks largely to having bravely fought 25 minutes with a right hand busted badly on the head of Vincent Astrolabia, Moloney was whisked immediately afterwards to a Californian hospital.
Where sat together with partner Jorja, he waited … and waited … and waited.
“The whole time too,” he says, “hoping they would just send us away so I could get back to the hotel and celebrate.
“But I guess it was a busy night at the hospital … we didn’t get out until three o’clock in the morning.”
So as for the reception when you eventually got in?
“They’d all gone to bed,” Moloney laughs of a team who were all flying out to Las Vegas early next morning to begin twin brother Andrew’s own world title fight week preparations.
A story, of course, you likely recall.
Especially given so much of the nation was last year backing these affable boxing brothers who, within days of each other Stateside, were looking to win titles and create international boxing history.
“So immediately all our attention turned to Andrew,” Jason continues, speaking this week with Fox Sports Australia from his camp in Quebec City, Canada.
“There were absolutely no celebrations at all.
“That night at the hospital, the staff hadn’t even wanted my team around so it was just myself and Jorja sat there waiting.
“Which isn’t how you think it’s going to go.
“I’d spent 20 years filling my head with all these big ideas about how it would be when I finally won the world title — the euphoria, everyone celebrating together … instead it was all very underwhelming.”
Same deal next day.
Moloney BRUTALLY ended by Nakatani | 01:10
“By the time I got up, Andrew and the team had already headed for the airport,” the champ continues of what may just be the most subdued world title celebration in Australian boxing history.
“But I didn’t fly out until the afternoon …”
Which surely gave you time for some champagne, a Budwesier, something?
“It was just Jorja, my older brother and I,” he shrugs. “So we went and got a greasy burger.
“We were in Stockton, went to Five Guys.
“That’s as wild as things got.”
Yet still, worse was to come.
With Jason, days later, forced to then watch on from Andrew’s corner as — with these tightest of brothers on the cusp of history – his twin was brutally kayoed by Japanese star Junto Nakatani.
“Which was rough,” the champ concedes now.
“The whole goal of that trip was for us both to become world champions.
“For us both to celebrate together and then bring our title belts home on that plane.
“But it didn’t work out that way.
“And I know Andrew still holds a fair bit of guilt because he feels he let the team down, or lost my moment in a sense.
“But there’s no need for that guilt.
“I was so proud of Andrew’s performance. He came up against a good fighter and gave it everything he had.
“So I don’t feel like it was that way at all.”
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Regardless, the time for partying was gone.
And given the way these Moloney boys have for so long been talked up together, even in many ways considered the same Australian sports story … well, it was like Jason’s own glory also took a hit, however unfairly, that night.
“The way Andrew’s fight ended, we were all really down and disappointed,” he continues.
“There was no celebrating.
“And, yeah, it did hurt.
“You’ve waited your whole life for this one moment and then, just like that, after achieving it, it’s quickly forgotten.”
Which is why this first defence for Moloney, really, is anything but.
In fact, as he prepares to square off with Mexican-American challenger Sanchez, Moloney talks as if the belt is not his, but his to be won.
Same as longtime manager Tony Tolj, on the quiet, is readying to finalise a Hawaiian stopover for the way home so, should his client defend, the champ and his family, brother and coach Angelo Hyder can all finally celebrate.
“Coming into this weekend, I actually feel like the challenger in a sense,” Moloney admits.
“Because getting the title, it didn’t feel like I wanted it to.
“I didn’t get to have that moment I’ve been chasing.”
Why is a wonderfully unique angle to Sunday.
“And why there is a lot of pressure to win this one,” he insists. “To have the moment I’ve been chasing for so long.
“It’s such a big part of being champion.
“That moment of euphoria you’ve been chasing.
“It’s why I think this one will feel even better than winning the belt.”