Joshua Greer Jr. will be the first to tell you he didn’t know what to expect had he and Jason Moloney fought as scheduled last April.

What he knows now is for the boxing world to bear witness to a reborn boxer in the ring this weekend.

“I feel like it couldn’t have been a better situation for us to meet now, “Greer told krikya360.com ahead of his bantamweight crossroads bout with Moloney this Saturday. “I believe that everything happens for a reason. The type of training that I’ve been doing… I’m so serious going into this fight.

“Whoever’s been counting me out, they can’t count. I’m back to work Saturday night. I’m clocking in.”

The bout between Greer and Moloney (21-2, 17KOs) tops an ESPN+ telecast preceding the main show which airs live on ESPN and accompanying platforms from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Moloney’s twin brother, Andrew Moloney (21-1, 14KOs; 1ND) faces Joshua Franco (17-1-2, 8KOs; 1ND) in a trilogy bout at junior bantamweight in the evening’s main event.

It comes nearly 16 months after the two were previously due to meet, with the matchup among the many to be wiped out due to the initial wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The fight was paired with another bantamweight fight, one with three major belts at stake with WBA/IBF champ Naoya Inoue (21-0, 18KOs) to have faced WBO titlist John Riel Casimero (30-4, 21KOs).

Greer (22-2-2, 12KOs) was the number-two ranked IBF contender at the time and being groomed for a world title shot. However, he was also entering the fight on the heels of a pair of uneven performances in wins over Nikolay Potapov and Antonio Nieves. The bottom eventually fell out once boxing resumed after the pandemic, with the Chicago native dropping a ten-round decision to Mike Plania in an ESPN bout last June, followed by a surprising eight-round draw with unheralded Edwin Rodriguez last November.

A lot of work has since been put in the gym, largely under the tutelage of renowned cornerman Kay Koroma. Greer normally shares space with the likes of unbeaten rising star Shakur Stevenson, heavyweights Jared Anderson and Efe Ajagba, and 2020 U.S. Olympians/pro rookies Keyshawn Davis—who recently claimed a Silver medal in Tokyo—and Troy Isley among many others. As luck would have it, Greer ultimately found himself the center of attention with everyone else’s schedule freed up at the time.

“It’s about timing and God’s plan,” insists Greer. “To be able to have that exclusive one-on-one time with a coach like Kay Koroma, it’s been a blessing. Jared and Efe were both out since their (July 24) fights were [postponed]. Keyshawn and Troy were doing their thing in the Olympics.

“So, it was just me with Coach Kay and the coaching team.  They took me to hell and back, improving all angles and get me firing on all cylinders. If I thought I was ready for Jason Moloney before all this started, I’m really ready for him now.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox