Kieran Molloy (boxer)

Kieran Molloy is an Irish professional boxer. As an amateur, he won a bronze medal at the 2018 EU Championships.

Professional career
On December 16, 2021, Molloy signed a contract with promotional companies Top Rank and Conlan Boxing. He made his professional debut on February 26, 2022, at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, fighting on the undercard of Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall against Damian Esquisabel. Molloy won via technical knockout in the second round.

He was scheduled to fight Johnathan Ryan Burrs on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Joe Smith Jr. on June 18, 2022. However, the fight was cancelled at the last minute due to Burrs testing positive for COVID-19. His next fight was scheduled for August 6, 2022, against a journeyman, Evgenii Vazem, whom he defeated in the second round by a body shot. Molloy spoke during an interview after his victory, expressing interest in fighting in his native town in the future.

Molloy went the distance for the first time in his career, defeating Sandro Jajanidze by unanimous decision in Frankfurt, Germany. All ringside officials scored the bout 59–55. His fourth professional boxing appearance was against Alexander Zeledon. The contest took place at the SSE Arena in Belfast on December 10, 2022, as an undercard fight for Michael Conlan vs. Karim Guerfi. Prior to the corner retirement victory, Molloy cut Zeledon above the left eye.

Conlan Boxing announced that Molloy would bring professional boxing back to Galway for the first time since 2009 and headline in his hometown for his fifth professional bout on April 21, 2023, against Fernando Mosquera. He knocked down his opponent in the fifth round. Molloy won in his hometown by defeating Mosquera via points decision, with the referee scoring the bout 80–71.

On August 4, 2023, Molloy faced former English super-lightweight champion Sam O'maison at Falls Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Molloy won via technical knockout in the first round by a right hook. Following the bout, Jamie Conlan explained his title plans for Molloy by aiming to have him face the winner of Senan Kelly and David Ryan for the BUI Celtic title by the end of the year. After a hand injury stopped the Ryan vs. Kelly bout, the initial title plans had to be changed, with Conlan eyeing the potential winner between Declan Geraghty and Owen O'Neill for the vacant Irish welterweight championship. The title plans were halted for Molloy for the second time as the Geraghty and O'Neill fight was cancelled last minute due to O'Neill being overweight by over 10 pounds. Later in the year, he received Irish Boxing's Knockout of the Year award for his knockout against O'maison.

On October 28, 2023, Molloy fought in the United States for the first time in his career against Daniel Sostre, scoring a knockdown in the first round before Sostre retired in the corner before the beginning of round two. On March 1, 2024, Molloy announced on his social media platforms that he had left his management team. Molloy told Galway Bay FM: "I suppose that I wasn't happy with the structure and the lack of fights, so you have to listen to your gut and go with what is right". On March 15, 2024, Molloy signed with GBM Sport. Two days later, he was announced as an undercard fight on the 'Coming of Age ' boxing card against an unannounced opponent on April 20, 2024, at the Magna Centre in Rotherham. Molloy was later confirmed to be fighting Sergio Garcia Herrera in his second eight-round fight in his career. Molloy was dropped for the first time in his career in the sixth round by a body shot, but he won via points decision after showing a 'warriors mentality' as described by his promoter, Izzy Asif, as the referee scored the contest 76–75 in favour to Molloy. Asif revealed after Molloy's victory over Herrera that it was planned for Molloy to be fighting in his hometown in July. On June 29, 2024, Molloy went the distance in Coventry against Matthew King, with the referee scoring 80–72 in favour of Molloy, with rumours that his next fight would be in his hometown in August or September after plans couldn't be reached for July.