TJ Doheny gives MONSTER Naoye Innoue update
TJ Doheny believes says he’s on course for a monster fight with ‘The Monster’.
The former world champion is confident he will challenge pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue for all four his world titles around September time.
Portlaoise BC’s most famous son was on standby to fight the undisputed super bantamweight sensation earlier this month and was a bad Luis Nery weigh-in away from sharing the ring with the Japanese fight legend.
However, by the time Doheny had registered another stoppage win and ‘The Monster’ got up off the floor to knock out the Mexican i the Tokyo Dome, it appeared as if former Doheny opponent, Ben Goodman had moved into Inoue pole.
The Aussie was taken into the ring and had a head to head with the undefeated four belt world champion.
Doheny claims that was a profile raising exercise by Top Rank and believes he will be Innoue’s next opponent.
Bob Arum hinted talks have begun with ‘The Power’ and the Australian based Irish fighter has his sights set on a senatioanl September showdown.
“I am very much in the mix right now,” he tells Irish-boxing.com. “Especially according to Bob Arum’s latest statement on Thursday in Perth. It’s looking very likely that I will be the front-runner in September with Goodman coming sometime after that.
“Goodman’s team have stated they would prefer to go later in the year or in the first fight of 2025. So I think that call out in the ring was a bit of machoism and more done to raise his profile over there than anything else. To be honest, I wanted to jump in the ring, grab that mic, and say my piece but I kept it together!” he adds smiling.
A return to the world title table would be massive for the 37-year-old and the chance to become only the second Irish fighter in the four-belt era to become an undisputed world champion [Katie Taylor being the only one to achieve it] is beyond big for an often out of sight out of mind operator.
Indeed, a victory would see the modern-day Irish great enter the greatest Irish fighter of all time debate.
It has to be noted it’s not yet a done deal, although Doheny, who is to Japan what Kiko Martinez is to Ireland, points out he has options regardless.
“There will be a title opportunity either way. I am sitting third in the WBO rankings soon to be elevated to number two, which puts me in one corner for Inoue or a vacant title at the very least no matter what way things pan out this year.”
Reflecting on his fourth career win in Japan, a fourth-round stoppage of Filipino Bryl Bayagos, he said: “I was happy with getting the TKO. They are always hard to get over shorter rounds, against a very very negative style and a fighters who’s just in there to hold and survive.”
