Pound-for-pound number two Naoya Inoue has slowed down his astronomical rise for a knockover title defense on September 3.
Inoue will put all four belts from his undisputed super bantamweight crown on the line against Irish underdog TJ Doheny at Ariake Arena in Tokyo this fall. Facing far superior opponents to Doheny when attaining two-weight undisputed status, Inoue is allowed one as he goes for nine straight stoppages.
Doheny is widely seen as having no chance of victory and mainly got his shot at Inoue due to his form in Japan. It’s a true Mike Tyson vs Buster Douglas affair that the champion has to ensure doesn’t end up going the same way with the favorite getting knocked out.
However, few people believe lightning will strike twice in Tokyo. Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum admits Doheny is up against it despite putting the fight together.
“Naoya Inoue is a generational talent, and every time he fights, the boxing world stops to watch the master at work,” said Arum. “TJ Doheny is a veteran who can never be counted out, as he’s defied the odds many times when fighting in Japan.”
Having been a champion for a decade, Inoue holds an outstanding 27-0 record with 24 knockouts. Last time out, he headlined at the historic Tokyo Dome when Tyson vs. Douglas occurred in 1990. Inoue rose from the canvas to defeat Mexican two-weight king Luis Nery in six hurtful rounds.
As for Doheny, his undefeated run on Japanese soil was enough to earn a crack at Inoue due to his familiarity with the fans. He’s +1800 with some fraction crunchers, which could lengthen over time.
Inoue vs. Doheny tops a card broadcast live on ESPN+ in the United States as part of a special early morning broadcast. In the co-feature, WBO bantamweight world champion Yoshiki Takei defends against ex-flyweight ruler Daigo Higa.
Venezuelan veteran Ismael Barroso will also battle Andy Hiraoka in another eye-catching bout to bolster the bill.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
