Lack of Frampton or McGregor-style coverage doesn’t bother TJ Doheny ahead of WORLD TITLE fight
Having never fought in Ireland before and with his maiden title shot coming on a Thursday morning in Japan, TJ Doheny [19(14)-0] certainly fits the ‘under the radar’ description.
The Portlaoise super bantam takes on IBF champion Ryosuke Iwasa [25(16)-2(2)] at the famous Korakuen Hall in Tokyo at about 11:45am Irish time, with both weighing in inside the 122lbs limit this morning (pictured).
One of two Irishmen involved in world title fights this week, Doheny has attracted less attention than WBC flyweight title challenger Paddy Barnes who takes on Nicaraguan champion Cristofer Rosales this weekend at Windsor Park in Belfast.
Indeed he has attracted far less attention than Windsor headliner Carl Frampton and a fraction of that of MMA star Conor McGregor who recently had his big UFC comeback fight versus Khabib Nurmagomedov confirmed for October 6th in Las Vegas.
Not commanding the same amount of coverage as such fighters despite closing in on the pinnacle of his sport is not an issue for Doheny who lives in Sydney but trains in Boston.
“To be honest it doesn’t bother me in the slightest,” he told Boxing Monthly when asked about Frampton and McGregor and the disparity in coverage.
“I’m not really in the same profile bracket as those boys yet,”
“I’m just happy to be doing my own thing and keeping my mind on the job at hand. All that other bullshit will come after I get my hands on that strap.”
While he is the away fighter and looking to become just the second Irish or U.K. boxer to win a world title in Japan after Wayne McCullough, Doheny is well-prepared and hugely confident.
A slight favourite with the bookmakers, the Midlands 31-year-old is not the standard overmatched opponent arriving into Japan for a big fight.
“We’ve got a job to do no matter where it may be and I am 100 per cent sure that I will be leaving Japan as the new IBF world champion,” promised Doheny.
“Camp has gone really well, I couldn’t have asked for better prep leading into this fight. I am in great condition and feeling supremely confident.”
READ: Lee Gormley’s TJ Doheny interview in full
