TJ Doheny is not going to be overawed when he challenges the good Naoya Inoue for the undisputed super-bantamweight world championship on the Ariake Enviornment in Tokyo.
It will likely be the fifth time the Australia-based Irishman has fought in Japan and he has by no means misplaced there earlier than.
Doheny is a extremely skilled former world champion with a wholesome 77% knockout ratio.
“I think Doheny’s got a good punch, he’s strong. He’s a tough, tough guy and he’s been reeling off some great wins in Japan as it is so I don’t think he’s going to be a stranger to the moment,” Todd DuBoef, president of promoters High Rank, advised Sky Sports activities.
“I think he gives everybody problems, because he’s a tough out,” DuBoef added. “He is seasoned. I would name him a veteran of the sport. He is seen all of it. With that comes the data of tips on how to decide your pictures and to determine the occasions when you are going to land them.
“They’ve seen all different types come at them and they’re not going to jump in and make stupid mistakes. So you may see him be a little conservative early on to see what he has, with the speed and power of Inoue.”
However DuBoef thinks that may be a mistake. He believes that Doheny ought to attempt to drive an early error from the good Japanese champion, identical to Luis Nery did when he shocked the watching public with a surprising knockdown of Inoue within the first spherical of his final struggle.
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With Naoya Inoue scheduled to struggle on Sky Sports activities as soon as once more, try his harmful stoppage win over Marlon Tapales
“I think he should try to jump on him and let Inoue know, like Nery did, you’re not just pitching one way. I’m going to come back at you,” DuBoef stated.
Nonetheless Inoue has warned that he nonetheless enhancing as a fighter and experiencing a knockdown might now make him extra harmful.
“We were all there ringside and gasped for air when we saw him going down,” DuBoef stated.
“I was taught early on that a lot of times first round knockdowns are guys being cold, a little tight, the environment getting to them, them not being focused. But I think he did exactly what great, great fighters do, he just came out the next round and he just dropped Nery. Just answered very quickly.
“I feel he’ll develop into a greater fighter on account of it,” he concluded. “The best fighters within the historical past of the game have all been down, if it was Ali, if it was Leonard, everyone has been down. For him, he has freakish, freakish, freakish capability to have velocity and energy, offence, defence and IQ.
“That’s what makes him so exciting to watch and make people rave about watching him no matter who he fights.”
An all-Japan super-fight?
Lead by Inoue, the game on the top-level is flourishing in Japan. On October 13 Takuma Inoue, Naoya’s brother, will defend his WBA bantamweight title towards Seiya Tsutsumi and on October 14 Junto Nakatani, the WBC bantamweight champion and one other thrilling stylist, fights 77-bout veteran Tasana Salapat, all reside on Sky Sports activities.
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Watch the complete first spherical as Junto Nakatani knocks out Vincent Astrolabio with a strong left to the physique.
“They have this rockstar type of personalities. They’re entertainers not only boxers,” DuBoef stated of this new wave of Japanese fights.
“[Inoue] puts it all together,” he added. “People were there four hours before [his last fight] just glued to that big stadium.
“It is refreshing to see. It is nice to see him have such relevance and transfer that nation and have such a giant fan base. Should you ever have an opportunity to see Inoue, regardless if it is Japan or anyplace else, he is nonetheless one thing particular to observe.”
An all-Japanese super-fight with Nakatani could be on the horizon for Inoue.
“I feel it will be fascinating to see each how Inoue does this struggle and it will be fascinating to see how Nakatani does in October,” DuBoef stated.
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Junto Nakatani barely broke a sweat as he knocked out Vincent Astrolabio with a straight left to the physique for a first-round stoppage win.
“To have a homegrown fight like that, is something special. To have that under our umbrella and to be a part of that is wonderful. To see the development and the rise of both these guys come up at the same time and to see the incredible products that are coming out of Japan is amazing.
“I do not suppose [Inoue] jumps to 126lbs straight away however you by no means know. But when a Nakatani struggle is there and for them to do, I feel it is fairly simple to see that path going ahead,” he explained.
“You have heard Angelo Leo [the new IBF featherweight champion call for a Inoue fight]. You noticed this child, [Bruce] ‘Shu Shu’ Carrington speak out at him, which was a really courageous transfer, speak out at him through the New York present.
“Everybody wants to be in the ring at some point with the best. Hopefully they do. And when you see someone like Inoue come along, it’s generational talent, it’s amazing.”
Watch Inoue vs Doheny reside on Sky Sports activities Predominant Occasion and Sky Sports activities+ from 7.30am on Tuesday
Boxing arising on Sky Sports activities
Watch Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois reside on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace on September 21
Naoya Inoue vs TJ Doheny – Undisputed super-bantamweight title (September 3)
Jaime Munguia vs Erik Bazinyan – Tremendous-middleweight bout (September 21)
Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois – IBF heavyweight title (September 21 on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace)
Takuma Inoue vs Seiya Tsutsumi – WBA bantamweight title (October 13)
Junto Nakatani vs Tasana Salapat – WBC bantamweight title (October 14)
