Willibaldo Garcia not only lost out on the chance for a high-profile fight, but is still on the hook for the mandatory title defense waiting in the wings.
BoxingScene has confirmed that Mexico’s Garcia, 23-6-2 (13 KOs) remains contractually bound to an IBF 115lbs title defense against mandatory challenger Andrew Moloney. The reigning titlist was granted a voluntary defense versus former two-division champ Kenshiro Teraji, on the condition that the winner agreed in advance – and in writing – to next face Moloney within 180 days of their bout.
The two were due to meet on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, Garcia fell ill after making weight – 113.9lbs, well under the 115lbs limit – and was hospitalized on Friday immediately following the ceremonial weigh-in.
The cancellation of that bout does not nullify the prior agreement; rather, it uses up the one-time exception in lieu of his ordered title defense.
“The Willibaldo Garcia vs. Kenshiro Teraji bout must take place on or before December 27, 2025,” IBF Daryl Peoples told both parties in a prior ruling obtained by BoxingScene. “The winner… shall make a mandatory defense of the IBF Jr. Bantamweight title within one hundred eighty (180) days after December 27, 2025, or by June 25, 2026.
“The IBF will not consider any further delays, including unification bouts, of the IBF Jr. Bantamweight mandatory defense against #3 ranked Jr. Bantamweight contender Andrew [Moloney]. Willibaldo Garcia and Kenshiro Teraji must agree in writing to these conditions prior to the IBF granting formal sanction for this bout.”
Both boxers made it to the weigh-in on Friday, just not to the ring on Saturday or even to the IBF same-day weight check. All IBF sanctioned fights require participants to weigh no more than 10lbs above the contracted limit on the day of the fight.
Because the planned contest was a voluntary defense, Teraji is not owed a rescheduled title shot regardless of his arrangement in securing a place on the Ring V DAZN pay-per-view event.
Instead, Garcia – once back at full strength and fit to fight – will have to shift his attention to Australia’s Moloney.
“As decreed by the IBF there was a sole exception for December 27th on the proviso that will no further exception, unifications included,” Tony Tolj, Moloney’s career-long manager and local promoter, told BoxingScene. “We hope Garcia heals up well. Andrew Moloney is always ready.
“See you up next.”
Garcia claimed the vacant IBF 115lbs title in a 12-round, split decision over countryman Rene Calixto in their May 23 rematch in Zacatecas, Mexico. The bout came five months after the two fought to a split decision draw for the same stakes last December 21 in Shizuoka, Japan.
Fittingly, Garcia was in the same position a year ago as Moloney is in today.
The now 36-year-old from Tijuana was the mandatory challenger in waiting for then-unbeaten titlist Fernando “Puma” Martinez, who was granted an exception to unify with then-WBA titleholder Kazuto Ioka. Martinez won their July 2024 fight but opted for a more lucrative rematch with Ioka in lieu of the mandatory and was forced to relinquish the belt as a result.
Moloney, 27-4 (17 KOs) went nearly all of 2025 without a fight before he snuck in a knockout win on a November 1 show in Suva, Fiji. It was his first bout since last December 15, though the extended break not entirely his fault.
Aiding the lengthy gap was an oft-rescheduled title eliminator versus Argi Cortes, which ultimately fell apart during fight week. Moloney was in Mexico for more than three weeks, but was presented with a late surprise when the event moved from Durango to Cortes’ Mexico City on just five days’ notice.
The combination of risking having to fight at a much higher altitude – where Cortes was already comfortable – and the lack of professionalism was enough for his team to pull the plug.
Moloney – a former WBA “Regular” 115lbs titleholder and whose twin brother Jason is a former WBO 118lbs titlist – has won two in a row since a heartbreaking split decision defeat to Pedro Guevara last May in Perth, Australia. Overall, he is 7-2 since his bizarre trilogy with Joshua Franco, which resulted in his first two defeats and the end of his secondary title reign.
