Jason Moloney will wake Christmas Day and, first up, run the Mike Tyson mile.
Just like the world’s baddest man used to.
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“It’s the whole reason the track was built,” Australia’s WBO bantamweight champ explains of the gravel circuit which, looping a lake in Sunset Park, Las Vegas, was specifically made for Iron Mike during his hyped title reign.
A track Moloney is now making his own, too.
Convinced that just like Tyson once owned the heavyweight division, so he can now become the greatest boxing bantamweight anywhere on the planet.
Defend one belt?
No, ‘Mayhem’ wants all four.
And within close enough to a year.
Which is why, come Christmas Day, he’ll run Tyson’s mile.
That, and hurt.
Aware back home in Australia, partner Jorja will soon enough be waking their two girls, Isla and Billie, for what the fighter calls “our favourite day of the year”.
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This time though, dad won’t be there.
No, he’ll be running.
For the first time in ages too, without twin brother Andrew by his side.
“Because,” the champ says of that sibling who has risen up through boxing’s elite right beside him, “he’s back in Australia as well.
“Home with his young family, where he should be.”
Which leaves Jason and his small team, a few hours after running, to then head across town for a 3pm Christmas Day session at the Top Rank gym.
But as for squeezing even a few festivities in between?
“Nah, it’s just another Monday in camp,” insists the fighter who has already spent a week in Las Vegas preparing for his first title defence, against America’s Saul Sanchez on January 14.
“That day, I’ve got sprints for an hour in the morning, then boxing that afternoon.
“So in between, it’s rest.
“Because the training we’re doing right now, it’s relentless.
“Every session you’re going as hard as you can.
“So the time in between is dedicated to recovery … ensuring your body is ready to bounce back again by the next session.”
Arriving in Sin City last Saturday, Moloney and his team will spend three weeks in the world’s fight capital before then heading to Canada and that title defence on the same card as light heavyweight king Artur Beterbiev.
With eight months having passed since he took the WBO strap from Vincent Astrolabio, the Aussie wants to defend against Sanchez first up and then fight three more times in the year – with his ultimate goal to unify the division.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia from inside his Las Vegas camp this week, Moloney admitted the next few days will be easily his toughest of this preparation.
“Because missing Christmas with my young family,” he conceded, “it hurts”.
Elsewhere, the champ also revealed twin brother Andrew, traditionally a constant during camps, is currently back home with his own young family.
“So he’ll come over for fight week,” he said. “Gets in on January 10, our birthday”.
So you’re giving up a birthday with family, too?
“Yep, we’re putting it all on the line for this one,” the fighter laughed.
“My eldest daughter is four now, so finally at that age where you get really excited about Christmas, really look forward to Santa Claus coming at everything like that.
“So it’s a really special time of year.
“My favourite day of the year actually.
“And because you don’t get too many of these it’s a day I really didn’t want to let slip.
“But I’ve proved before the sacrifices I’m willing to make.
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“Shown I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to reach the top.
“And now that I’m champion, nothing changes.
“If anything, the hard part really starts.
“I know everyone is coming for that belt I’ve worked so hard for.”
Situated about 15 minutes drive from the strip, Sunset Park is where Tyson used to run back in the 1990s when a regular headliner at venues like Caesar’s Palace and the MGM Grand.
“But apparently, because there was nothing here, the local council built what’s now called the Mike Tyson Mile,” Moloney explains.
“It’s a brilliant place to run.
“And a place I’ve put some hard work in over the past few years.”
So as for Christmas Day?
“It’s actually one of the biggest sessions of our week,” he says
“We do 12, three-minute rounds of sprints
“So it’s not a long one.
“With the warm up you’re done in an hour.
“But afterwards, mate, you’re completely exhausted.
“And then you have to back up with boxing in the afternoon.
“So Christmas Day … yeah, it will be brutal.”
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