Moloney will look to advance those claims on Saturday. He faces Andres Teran in a 10-round bantamweight contest as the chief support preceding Carlos Adames-Gerome Warburton at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"It's a big fight and great opportunity to make a real statement in my Zuffa Boxing debut," Moloney (29-4, 20 KOs) told The Ring. "I still have a lot I want to achieve in this sport, and becoming world champion again is what drives me every day.

"Teran stands in the way of that next step, so I'm taking this fight very seriously. I'm preparing hard and ready to deliver a performance that shows how dangerous I still am."

Moloney, who turned professional in 2014, watched ringside as Teran scored a sixth-round stoppage win over Floyd Diaz on June 28.

"I expect a hungry fighter seeing this as his opportunity to make a name for himself," he said. "That win will have given him plenty of confidence, but this is another big step up. I understand the motivation he’ll bring, but I'm as hungry as I've ever been. I'm chasing another world title, and know how much is riding on every fight from here.

"I'm preparing for him to bring pressure and make it a hard fight. I respect all of my opponents, and know I'll need to be at my best. But I'm confident in my ability, my experience and the work I'm putting in."

The 35-year-old veteran has won his last two fights after losing consecutive bouts in Japan against former champion Yoshiki Takei (UD12) and recent title challenger Tenshin Nasukawa (UD10).

"Those losses were really tough because I have high expectations and know I was truly capable of winning both fights," he said. "I wish I could have those fights again, but you have to take the lessons, get back to work and earn your next opportunity.

"Rebuilding and getting two good wins was important, and I feel like I’ve built some good momentum again. I'm happy with the progress, but have much bigger goals. This fight is extremely important; a win here will get me back into title contention, back at the top where I want to be."

The likeable Australian has fought all over the world, including multiple trips stateside during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada and Japan. He's boxed the Ring's reigning pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue and been a world champion in his own right, but still has the desire to claim world honors once more.

"Boxing has given me experiences I could never have imagined as a young kid walking into the gym with my brother," he said. "I've travelled the world, shared the ring with incredible fighters and achieved my dream of becoming world champion. There have been some very tough times along the way, but I’m proud that I’ve kept backing myself and coming back.

"Winning a world title made all those years of sacrifice worthwhile, especially being able to share that moment with the people who helped me get there. I'm grateful for the journey, but still feel there's so much more to come. I want to experience that feeling again, and am willing to do the work it takes."

Teran (19-2, 14 KOs) has been a professional since February 2019. The Mexican lost two early fights, one against future world title challenger Erik Badillo and the other by Odin Juarez, one he'd later avenge in a rematch.

The 26-year-old holds wins over Alejandro Yair Gonzalez (MD 8) and is entering a career-biggest challenge after his first win under the Zuffa promotional banner on his U.S. debut against Diaz (TKO6).

Writer's view: This is the classic fight between a veteran former champion and a young, rising fighter. One trying to maintain his position, the other looking to seize it for himself. We should have a better idea after this fight whether Moloney can still compete with the world's best bantamweights, or if there's a new kid on the block at 118 pounds.