Decide It: Naoya Inoue-TJ Doheny
When to Watch: Tuesday, September 3 at 5:45 a.m. Jap Time (10:45 a.m. BST)
Find out how to watch: ESPN+
Why to Watch: Boxing is already a brutal sufficient sport. We as boxing followers — nicely, we as individuals basically — will be significantly heartless.
It goes again millennia. Crowds stuffed stadiums to joyously watch gladiators attempt to fend off — earlier than in the end getting fed to — the lions. As we speak, we’ll watch some horror film characters succumb to their circumstances whereas the uncommon few survive.
This coming Tuesday, we’ll tune in early within the morning for boxing’s model – a possible ritual sacrifice; a squash match airing from Ariake Enviornment in Tokyo. TJ Doheny will search to upset the percentages, however he’s in with a monster, or reasonably “The Monster”, in Naoya Inoue.
Inoue, a 31-year-old from Yokohama, Japan, is the undisputed champion at 122lbs. He was beforehand the undisputed champion at 118lbs, and a titleholder at 115lbs and 108lbs as nicely. He’s undefeated; pound-for-pound among the finest on the earth. Doheny is – nicely, not.
Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs) is coming off one other one in all his spectacular campaigns, transferring as much as the junior-featherweight division in July 2023 to make surprisingly straightforward work of the unified titleholder Stephen Fulton. Inoue then knocked out Marlon Tapales in December to seize the opposite two main world titles within the division, and he returned in Might to dispatch one of many prime remaining contenders, Luis Nery, through sixth-round technical knockout.
The remaining names at 122lbs are Murodjon Akhmadaliev – who narrowly misplaced his titles to Tapales in 2023 – John Riel Casimero, and up-and-comers akin to Liam Davies, Sam Goodman and Elijah Pierce. Given what Inoue has achieved of late, he will be forgiven for what’s seen as a neater outing – a approach to hold busy earlier than he resumes in opposition to the remainder.
Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs) isn’t dangerous in any respect. He’s ranked #7 within the weight class by The Ring and #10 by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. However the 37 yr outdated — who’s initially from Eire and now calls Australia house — just isn’t anticipated to pose a big problem to Inoue.
Doheny was as soon as a titleholder on this weight class – holding the IBF belt for eight months from August 2018, when he outpointed Ryosuke Iwasa, to April 2019, when he dropped a majority resolution to Daniel Roman. Extra setbacks got here – together with back-to-back losses at featherweight in opposition to Ionut Baluta and Michael Conlan. And in March 2023, Doheny returned to 122lbs and misplaced a large resolution to Goodman.
Since then, Doheny’s at the least put collectively just a few first rate wins – all early nights, all in Japan. He defeated the 14-1-1 Kazuki Nakajima in 4 rounds, the 11-0 Japhethlee Llamido in a single, and, on the undercard of Inoue-Nery, the 7-0-1 Bryl Bayogos in 4.
“TJ is a really deserving opponent,” Doheny’s supervisor, Sean Gibbons, not too long ago informed BoxingScene. “He has a really storied historical past in Japan and he peaked on the proper time. I believe he’s going to shock individuals. Inoue has by no means actually been hit, as a result of he is that good. TJ brings lots to the desk, and he has to attempt to mug him and tough him up, as a result of he isn’t going to outbox him. He has nothing to lose. He’ll are available in relaxed and comfy.”
The gladiator will both be the winner, or he’ll be dinner. Both manner, to cite the Russell Crowe film – are we not entertained?
The published additionally consists of one other title struggle, with Yoshiki Takei making the primary protection of his WBO bantamweight belt in opposition to Daigo Higa.
Takei, 28, is 9-0 (8 KOs). He picked up the title in Might with a unanimous resolution over Jason Moloney.
Higa, 29, is 21-2-1 (19 KOs). He was beforehand a flyweight titleholder, capturing the vacant WBC belt with a TKO of Juan Hernandez Navarrete in Might 2017. Higa made two profitable defenses, then got here in obese for a struggle in April 2018 with Cristofer Rosales, who went on to dispatch Higa within the ninth spherical. Higa subsequently moved as much as the 118lbs division. He suffered his second defeat in 2021, when outpointed by Ryosuke Nishida, who’s since gained the IBF title. Higa has gained 4 in a row since.
This struggle is value watching, particularly given the intrigue at bantamweight. All 4 world titleholders are from Japan – plus Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez is within the division trying to make one final run, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is one division beneath, and Inoue is in fact one division above.
Extra Fights to Watch
Thursday, September 5: Arthur Biyarslanov-Tamas Kiliti (ESPN+ and Punching Grace)
The published begins at 6:30 p.m. Jap Time on Punching Grace and 9 p.m. Jap Time on ESPN+. The undercard may even air on TVA Sports activities from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Biyarslanov is an unbeaten junior-welterweight prospect from Russia and now preventing out of Canada. The 29 yr outdated is 15-0 (13 KOs) and making his third look of 2024. He stopped the 33-13-2 Cristian Palma in three rounds in March and the 14-5 Elias Mauricio Haedo in 4 rounds in June.
Kiliti is a late alternative opponent introduced just a few days earlier than the struggle. Kiliti, a 29 yr outdated from Hungary, is 10-0 (6 KOs). He’s most not too long ago fought at light-weight and so might be stepping up in weight to face Biyarslanov. Kiliti’s final win was in Might – a detailed resolution victory over the 20-14-1 Miguel Cesario Antin. Kiliti steps in for Marcos Villasana – a 33-year-old from Acapulco, Mexico – who the promoter stated needed to pull out as a consequence of “a logistical challenge”. Villasana (28-7, 15 KOs) would’ve been preventing for the primary time since November 2022.
The undercard may even characteristic Imam Khataev (7-0, 7 KOs) – a light-weight heavyweight who earned a bronze medal on the 2020 Olympics – versus Ezequiel Maderna (31-12, 21 KOs), in addition to Mary Spencer (8-2, 6 KOs) versus Naomi Mannes (7-2-1, 4 KOs) for the WBA interim junior middleweight title
Friday, September 6: Kevin Hayler Brown-John Bauza (DAZN)
The published begins at 7 p.m. Jap Time (midnight BST).
Hayler Brown, a junior-welterweight prospect from Cuba, has been preventing repeatedly on the Caribe Royale Orlando in Florida. The 30-year-old, who now lives in Las Vegas, is 5-0 (3 KOs). In Might, Hayler Brown got here off the canvas to win a break up resolution over Idalberto Umara.
Bauza is a 26 yr outdated initially from Puerto Rico and now residing in North Bergen, New Jersey. He’s 18-1 (8 KOs). That defeat got here in February 2023, when Bauza was knocked down twice and shut out by Richardson Hitchins. After practically 14 months away, Bauza returned in March with a first-round TKO of the 12-4-2 Willmank Canonico Brito.
Friday, September 6: Jose Zepeda-Ivan Redkach (DAZN)
The published begins at 10 p.m. Jap Time (3 a.m. BST).
The primary occasion on the Pechanga Resort On line casino in Temecula, California is a struggle between two junior welterweights whose careers could also be coming to a detailed – with the winner of this bout deferring the inevitable just a little longer.
Zepeda, a 35 yr outdated from exterior of Los Angeles, is 37-5 (28 KOs). He’s a former contender who’s been in three title fights – shedding to Terry Flanagan, Jose Ramirez and Regis Prograis – and been triumphant in a fight-of-the-year award winner in opposition to Ivan Baranchyk. Zepeda has misplaced three of his previous 4, beginning with the Eleventh-round loss by the hands of Prograis, a large resolution loss to Richardson Hitchins in September 2023, and a fifth-round physique shot knockout loss to Dalton Smith in March.
Redkach, a 38 yr outdated from Ukraine now residing in LA, is 24-7-1 (19 KOs). These losses got here in opposition to Dejan Zlaticanin, Tevin Farmer, Argenis Mendez, John Molina Jr, Danny Garcia, Prograis and, most not too long ago, in a fifth-round drubbing by the hands of Batyrzhan Jukembayev in Might.
Whereas all of their defeats have come in opposition to acquainted names, each males are clearly declining. The winner might wind up as a B-side with the hopes of scoring yet one more upset. The loser will hopefully see the writing on the wall.
Friday, September 6: Sam Noakes-Gianluca Ceglia (TNT Sports activities 1)
The published begins at 7 p.m. BST.
The present from York Corridor in London options Noakes, an undefeated light-weight prospect from Maidstone, England. The 27 yr outdated outpointed Yvan Mendy in April to maneuver to 14-0 (13 KOs).
Ceglia, a 34 yr outdated from Italy, is 21-4-1 (4 KOs). He’s gained 4 in a row since a call loss to Mendy in 2022.
Saturday, September 7: Thammanoon Niyomtrong-Alex Winwood (7plus)
Verify your native TV schedule.
Niyomtrong — aka Knockout CP Freshmart — is the long-time WBA titleholder at 105lbs, courting again to a victory in June 2016 over Byron Rojas. He’s made 11 profitable title defenses since then and is 24-0 (9 KOs). By some means, the 33 yr outdated from Thailand nonetheless has the WBA belt, though he final defended it in July 2022, when he outpointed the previous titleholder Chayaphon Moonsri – aka Wanheng Menayothin
Winwood, 27, is from western Australia, which implies he’ll be preventing in entrance of a house crowd on the HBF Enviornment in Joondalup. Winwood competed within the 2020/2021 Olympics, turned skilled in late 2022, and is 4-0 as an expert. All however one in all his fights have been above the 105lbs restrict – together with his final look, a call in December 2023 over 20-5 Cris Ganoza. BoxingScene’s Tom Gerbasi has a great characteristic story about Winwood right here.
Saturday, September 7: Elliot Whale-Lloyd Germain (DAZN)
The published begins at 2 p.m. Jap Time (7 p.m. BST).
Whale and Germain are British welterweights headlining on the Brentwood Centre in Brentwood, England.
Whale, a 27 yr outdated from Sidcup, Kent, England, is 10-0 (6 KOs). In April, he knocked out the 7-1 Joseba Diaz in 5 rounds.
German, a 34 yr outdated from Cardiff, Wales, is 9-1 (1 KO). That loss got here in his final struggle, in January, when he was dropped thrice within the third spherical by Conah Walker.
Saturday, September 7: Kevin Walsh-Irvin Gonzalez (Swerve.TV)
The published begins at 8 p.m. Jap Time.
This can be a junior-lightweight struggle between Walsh (13-0, 6 KOs) and Gonzalez (16-4, 12 KOs). They’ll type the primary occasion at Foxwoods Resort On line casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
Each fighters are New Englanders. Walsh is a 31 yr outdated from Brockton, Massachusetts. He was final seen in Might, when knocking out the 15-11 Tackie Annan in two rounds. Gonzalez is a 28 yr outdated from Worcester. His previous struggle was a 24-second win, in November, over the 30-15-1 Rodolfo Hernandez Montoya.
There are just a few recognizable names on Gonzalez’s document – losses to Elijah Pierce (TKO3 in 2019), Toka Kahn Clary (UD10 in 2019) and Edward Vazquez (SD8 in 2020; Vazquez who would go on to problem Joe Cordina for a junior-lightweight title).
Observe David Greisman on Twitter @FightingWords2. His ebook, “Combating Phrases: The Coronary heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is out there on Amazon.
