Moloney could have made a handsome payday without taking a single punch by taking a considerable fee and stepping aside to allow Garcia to take on The Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO titleholder Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez for an undisputed fight, but the 35-year-old Australian’s championship aspirations couldn’t be purchased.

“My life has revolved around being a world champion and chasing this dream. I've made so many sacrifices and dedicated my whole life toward this dream,” Moloney told The Ring. “I've been patient. I've waited 18 months. I wasn't willing to let someone else take my spot and basically sell my dream — that’s what it felt like to me.”

Moloney (28-4, 18 KOs) was supposed to take on Argi Cortes in an IBF title eliminator in August, but the oft-delayed bout never came to be as multiple changes made Moloney uneasy and forced him to pull out of the fight despite spending a considerable amount of time in Mexico waiting for the event to unfold.

Garcia (23-6-2, 13 KOs), meanwhile, was supposed to defend his title in December against Kenshiro Teraji but fell in on the day of the weigh-in and was forced to pull out.

The IBF had mandated at the time that the winner of Garcia-Teraji must face Moloney.

“I stood firm. I turned down a lot of money to step aside,” said Moloney. “Winning this world title means more than anything to me, more than money.”

Garcia, a 36-year-old from Tijuana, Mexico, hasn't fought since securing the title in a May rematch against Rene Calixto following their December 2024 split draw.

Moloney, a multiple-time title challenger, is riding a two-fight winning streak, with the last win coming in a stay-busy fight in Fiji in November. Moloney has fallen short in previous title shots against Junto Nakatani, Joshua Franco, and Pedro Guevara.

“I'm very confident of backing myself to beat Garcia,” said Moloney. “I've got what it takes. I've been working extremely hard. I am very excited for this opportunity. I know that this is my time, and the reward is just around the corner. I can't wait to have that IBF title around my waist.”