Jason Moloney managed to hold on to his WBO bantamweight title by winning a back-and-forth dogfight Saturday night in Quebec City, Canada.

Australia’s Moloney survived a cut over his right eye and some troublesome moments against game challenger Saul Sanchez and rallied in the championship rounds to win a majority decision on the Artur Beterbiev-Callum Smith undercard at Videotron Centre. Sanchez stung Moloney with numerous uppercuts and made Moloney work throughout their 12-round bout, which thoroughly entertained the crowd.

Moloney won by scores of 116-112, 116-112 and 114-114.

Moloney (27-2, 19 KOs) made his first defense of the WBO bantamweight title he won from the Philippines’ Vincent Astrolabio by majority decision May 13 in Stockton, California. The 26-year-old Sanchez (20-3, 12 KOs), of Pacoima, California, suffered the third decision defeat of his seven-year professional career.

The champion and challenger slugged it out on the inside over the final minute of the 12th round, including a furious exchange during the final 10 seconds of their bout.

Sanchez’s left to Moloney’s body made Moloney tie him up about 40 seconds into the 12th round.

Moloney followed up a left-right combination with a hard left hook several seconds before the midway mark of the 11th round. Another left hook by Moloney stopped Sanchez in his tracks later in an action-packed 11th round.

Moloney nailed Sanchez with a left hook and then two right hands as the 10th round drew to a conclusion. Sanchez’s right hand knocked Moloney into the ropes with a minute to go in the 10th round.

Moloney’s left hook caught Moloney as he pressed forward with 20 seconds to go in the ninth round. Two right uppercuts by Sanchez landed flush a little less than a minute into the ninth round.

Sanchez landed a hard jab and then another hard left about 50 seconds into the eighth round. A right by Sanchez connected soon thereafter as well.

Sanchez and Moloney traded jabs about 35 seconds into the eighth round.

A left uppercut by Sanchez and then a right hand knocked Moloney into the ropes with 25 seconds remaining in the seventh round. A right uppercut by Sanchez made Moloney hold him with about 40 seconds to go in the seventh round.

Moloney moved Sanchez into the ropes late in the sixth round and landed several head shots before the bell sounded.

A left by Sanchez snapped back Moloney’s head about 45 seconds into the sixth round.

Moloney and Sanchez traded shots on the inside for most of the fifth round. Sanchez nailed Moloney with a right hand toward the end of the fifth round, though.

A straight right by Moloney moved Sanchez into the ropes with just over a minute to go in the fourth round. A right-left combination by Moloney landed barely a minute into the fourth round.

Sanchez staggered Moloney with a left uppercut with about 50 seconds to go in the third round.

Moloney suffered a cut above his right eyebrow during the middle minute of the third round. Nelson ruled that Moloney’s cut was caused by an accidental clash of heads.

A right uppercut by Sanchez stunned Moloney with just over 30 seconds on the clock in the second round. Moloney’s overhand right landed less than 10 seconds later.

Sanchez pressured Moloney throughout the first round, but Moloney landed a left hook to the body with a little more than a minute to go in it and a left hook up top toward the end of the round.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.