Can Jason Moloney make it 5-0 for his country against heavy-handed Naoya Inoue?

This Saturday evening in the bubble at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Aussie bantamweight sensation, Jason "Mayhem" Moloney will look to add to the run of Australian successes against Japanese opponents in world title fights at bantamweight, as he looks to accomplish a feat that few have given him a chance in doing, defeating one of the pound for pound best in world boxing, undefeated Japanese monster Naoya Inoue (19-0, 16KOs) for the WBA and IBF world bantamweight titles.

Moloney (21-1, 18KOs) is looking to become the third Australian to defeat a Japanese opponent at 118 pounds for world title honors, after Australian boxing icon Lionel Rose, defied the odds by winning a hard fought unanimous decision over Masahiko "Fighting" Harada in February 1968 winning the WBC and WBA world titles, and later defended those titles against second Japanese challenger, Takao Sakurai in July of the same year.

Boxing Hall of Famer, Jeff Fenech accomplished the same feat by capturing the IBF bantamweight world crown by stopping champion, Satoshi Shingaki in April of 1985 and followed it up again in August of that same year with again, a brutal TKO victory.

There is a rich history between the two countries. A history that isn’t lost on the Aussie challenger when I spoke with him during the week.

"Winning this fight and becoming the WBA, IBF and Ring Magazing World Champion and the number one bantamweight in the world is going to be an absolute dream come true but the fact that there is so much history between Australian and Japanese fighters and the similarities between this fight and the famous Rose v Harada or Fenech v Shingaki fights just makes this even more special!

The fact that I can achieve something so incredible like this, which will be talked about for years and years to come gives me so much extra drive and motivation. Winning this fight and writing my own chapter in Australian boxing history will bring me so much pride, " Moloney said.

Both of these fighters accomplishments made them homegrown superstars in Australia when boxing was more of a mainstream sport and fights were regularly screened on network television.

As the viewing platform has changed, so has the following of the sport in Australia. Other sports have taken over the mantle in recent years but boxing is making a comeback down under.

A new wave of talent has engrossed new boxing fans in Australia and at the center of it all is Jason Moloney and his twin brother Andrew.

A fight of this significance for an Australian is rare, very rare. And accordingly, it is getting a ton of mainstream coverage locally. It is a fight Top Rank boss and legendary hall of fame promoter, Bob Arum, has labelled as a potential fight of the year candidate.

Moloney is a softly spoken and very respectful character. He hasn’t delved into trash talking or insults. it just isn’t his style. He lets his hands do the talking, and boy does he do it well.

World champion Inoue is the same. He hasn’t exactly got a lineup of challengers, his spectacular knockout performances have potential opponents running the other way, but not Moloney.

The confident Moloney has seen something he liked in Inoue’s last fight with Filipino superstar Nonito Donaire when Inoue was hurt badly. He believes he can genuinely win this fight. Styles make fights, Moloney can be a handful for anyone with those punishing all out body attacks.

He made the boxing world stand up and take notice when he dismantled Leonardo Baez in July this year, continually pounding his opponent with rib breaking shots to the body. as a result, the Mexican couldn’t answer the bell for the eighth round of a one-sided beating.

Moloney’s manager, Tony Tolj said it best, "We don’t run from the sun, we run towards it".

DON’T BLINK!