(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Andrew Moloney Withdraws from IBF Title Eliminator Against Argi Cortes; New Opponent Named
The much-anticipated IBF junior bantamweight title eliminator between Australia’s Andrew Moloney and Mexico’s Argi Cortes has been called off after multiple delays and location changes. Moloney officially withdrew after the fight venue was moved for a third time—from Durango to Cortes’ hometown of Mexico City.
Originally scheduled for July 19 in Monterrey, the bout was postponed twice and finally set for August 16 in Mexico City. However, Moloney decided to pull out following the latest change. The fight will still go ahead with Cortes now facing Colombian junior bantamweight Bairon Rodriguez, who is based in Barcelona. Since Rodriguez is unranked by the IBF, the bout will no longer serve as an official title eliminator.
Cortes expressed disappointment over the disruption, stating, “I really felt bad because it threw away all the technical work that had been done.”
Despite the setback, the 30-year-old contender remains focused on extending his two-fight winning streak and staying close to a major title shot. Cortes is known for his toughness, having gone the distance with elite fighters such as Junto Nakatani and Juan Francisco Estrada in recent high-profile bouts.
Rodriguez, 20, steps in on short notice despite recent struggles, having lost three of his last four fights. A victory for Cortes would have positioned him to challenge newly crowned IBF 115lbs champion Willibaldo Garcia.
While the loss of eliminator status is a blow, Cortes remains grateful for the opportunity to compete. “The fact that we can fight is already a huge relief,” he said, “even if the excitement of an elimination round is gone.”
