World champion Ryosuke Iwasa wary of TJ Doheny threat

The Portlaoise southpaw has the stance which Iwasa freely admits he struggles with.

Doheny [19(13)-0] secured mandatory status for the Japanese fighters crown with victory over Pipat Chaiporn in Thailand last December and gets his shot in Tokyo on Thursday August 16th.

‘The Power’, who lives in Australia and trains in America, has to travel to Japan for his chance and to become world champion will have to do what no other Irish or UK fighter has done before or since Wayne McCullough and win in the Land of the Rising Sun.

History suggests it’s a difficult task, but the home fighter believes that, if one fighter can do it, it’s the Irish super bantamweight.

The champ has two defeats on his record, both knockouts which came against southpaws and he admits the fact Doheny adopts that stance could cause him problems.

Iwasa also believes the fighter, who holds an amateur win over Carl Frampton, brings serious power to the table.

“He is a huge obstacle, but if I can overcome him I’ll become that much stronger,” the 28-year-old Iwasa told a news conference in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture.

“He [Doheny] is a powerhouse and I expect him to pressure me. Both of my losses have been to southpaws, so that is my Achilles heel.”

It certainly seems that the champion is by no means underestimating Doheny, who himself is confident of exploiting the Asian’s flaws.

The reigning champ, who won the belt with an upset victory over Yukinori Oguni last year, has previously been beaten by former world champions Lee Haskins and Shinsuke Yamanaka, with Doheny looking to make it a southpaw hatrick in two month’s time.