WBO bantamweight champion Jason ‘Mayhem’ Moloney 26-2 (19) wants to fight at least three times this year starting with his first world title defence against Saul ‘The Beast’ Sanchez 20-2 (12) at Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Canada on Saturday night.

If the 33-year-old Australian is successful this weekend, the plan is to have him back in action in April or May in his homeland on the undercard of the proposed lightweight bout between former world champions George ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos Jr 21-2 (10) and Vasiliy Lomachenko 17-3 (11).

If it comes off it would be the third time Moloney has fought on a Kambosos undercard after boxing twice on the Sydneysider’s shows in Melbourne in 2022 when he lost back-to-back world title bouts to Devin ‘The Dream’ Haney 31-0 (15).

“I want an active year and timeframe wise that’s perfect,” Moloney said to Fox Sports. “Win in January and then another big, big fight in April or May. That makes complete sense. And given I’m a Top Rank fighter, it makes sense for them too.

“But the focus right now is that this is a very impressive win. Because that’s what is needed to get myself on a card like that. They want great fights on that card and that’s what I want to be involved in.

“A good win here and hopefully a unification fight in April or May in Australia.”

Moloney was last in action in May when he outpointed Vincent Astrolabio 19-4 (14) to claim the vacant WBO 118-pound title in Stockton, California.

Despite fracturing his right hand in the fourth round, Moloney appeared to clearly outbox the 26-year-old Filipino but had to settle for a majority decision win by scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112.

Many people thought it was a virtuoso performance. Hall of Fame boxer turned commentator Andre Ward described it on the broadcast as a “shutout performance”.

“It’s always hard when you go to the scorecards and you’re on foreign soil. You never really trust ’em,” Moloney said. “I felt like the last fight, I was dominant – and there was still a 114-114 scorecard.

“So the goal in this fight, and moving forward, is to make it convincing. And the best way to do that is by knockout.

“I’m due for one… and I feel like one is coming this weekend.”

One difference for this training camp has been the absence of Moloney’s twin brother, super flyweight contender Andrew Moloney 26-3 (16). The duo have boxed together for the bulk of their careers, either fighting on the same card or a week apart. This time around, it has just been Jason in the gym with his trainer Angelo Hyder.

“Nearly every training camp it’s always both of us, and it is a lot to juggle,” Moloney explained. “Maybe more so for Angelo to concentrate on two different fighters, two different opponents, two different strategies.

“But this camp, every session has been about me, every meal is about me, everything revolves around me.

“It’s definitely been something I’ve never experienced but, yeah, something I’ve enjoyed and I feel has added to my focus.

“Naturally as a brother, I do think about Andrew’s fights, his performance, how he’s training and sparring, what he can do better.

“Whereas this time I’ve just been focused on myself.

“I feel like it’s definitely helped.”