Naoya Inoue-T.J. Doheny: Stats and Stakes

Following an appearance at the Tokyo Dome where World Junior Featherweight champion Naoya Inoue came off the floor for the first time to knockout rival Luis Nery, one of the world’s most exciting fighters will be fighting one of boxing’s most difficult opponents.

It’s not supposed to be the man standing across the ring. T.J. Doheny, a former titlist in the division, is certainly a capable fighter but no one expects him to pose much of a challenge.

Therein could lie the danger. Inoue is so good, has been so good for so long, that against your run of the mill world class contender he now competes with the foregone conclusion.  

Fans up early on Tuesday (ESPN+, 5:45 AM EST) won’t be tuning in to see if Doheny can beat Inoue. They’re tuning in to see Inoue deliver the thrills that have become his trademark. At 31, anything less will invite speculation about whether he’s aging, too small for a move to featherweight, changed in a pound-for-pound regard.

And etc. 

It would probably be silly but boxing’s largely dull August hasn’t left much else to talk about. Even if it had, that’s the burden of superstars. They aren’t judged like normal fighters. Inoue has risen to such a level. While not a household name outside Japan, he’s a “Monster” in more than just a nickname. Inoue has created a revenue foundation that is rare for 122 pounds in any country; in any era. A decade of dominance has created an aura of inevitability only a handful of fighters ever acquire. 

It’s not like he takes it easy. As can be seen below, the press consensus on Doheny going in is he belongs in the top ten of his division. He’s won three in a row since a loss to contender Sam Goodman (who easily could have had this shot but seemed fine delaying), turning around a stretch where he went 2-4 from 2019-23. Doheny will be Inoue’s sixth consecutive top ten opponent, as ranked by TBRB and/or The Ring, and eleventh in his last thirteen starts.

For his career, it will be his 15th ranked foe in 28 starts. That’s a 54% mark and the name being floated as potential opponents mean those numbers will only get stronger if and as Inoue continues to win.     

Does Doheny have any chance of upending the foregone conclusion?

Let’s get into it. 

Stats and Stakes

Naoya Inoue 
Age: 31
Title: WBC Super Bantamweight (2023-Present, 2 Defenses); WBO Jr. Featherweight (2023-Present, 2 Defenses); Lineal/TBRB/Ring/IBF/WBA Jr. Featherweight (2023-Present, 1 Defense)
Previous Titles: WBC Light Flyweight (2014, 1 Defense); WBO Jr. Bantamweight (2014-18, 7 defenses); Ring Magazine/IBF Bantamweight (2019-23, 6 Defenses); WBA Bantamweight (2019-23, 5 Defenses*); Lineal/TBRB/WBC World Bantamweight (2021-23, 1 Defense); WBO Bantamweight (2022-23)
Height: 5’5   
Weight: 122 lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Record: 27-0, 24 KO
Record in Major Title Fights: 20-0, 18 KO (22-0, 20 KO including sub-title fights) 
Last Five Opponents: 169-12 (.934)
Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: Ryoichi Taguchi UD10; Adrian Hernandez TKO6; Omar Narvaez KO2; Kohei Kono TKO6; Jamie McDonnell TKO1; Juan Carlos Payano KO1; Emanuel Rodriguez KO2; Nonito Donaire UD12, TKO2; Jason Moloney KO7; Paul Butler KO11; Stephen Fulton TKO8; Marlon Tapales KO10; Luis Nery TKO6
Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: None

Vs.

T.J. Doheny
Age: 37
Title: None
Previous Titles: IBF Jr. Featherweight (2018-19, 1 Defense)
Height: 5’5 ½    
Weight: 121 ¾ lbs.
Stance: Southpaw
Hails from: Bondi Junction, New South Wales, Australia
Record: 26-4, 20 KO
Press Rankings: #7 (Ring), #9 (ESPN)
Record in Major Title Fights: 2-1, 1 KO
Last Five Opponents: 72-11-2 (.859)
Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: Ryosuke Awasa UD12; Daniel Roman L12
Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: N/A

The Pick: The southpaw Doheny, Irish-born but fighting out of Australia, has a couple assets in his favor here. He has slight edges in height and reach and has some pop. Inoue was dropped by a southpaw last time out when caught blind and careless. If Inoue doesn’t take Doheny seriously, Dohney has a chance to become a serious opponent in an instant.

That’s a lot to hope for.

Inoue has been a pro for almost a dozen years, a champion for most of them, and one lapse in concentration is a hell of a track record. Inoue is quicker, more explosive, more skilled, and thus far has been as dominant at junior featherweight as he was at bantamweight. The big question isn’t really whether he can win but how. 

Doheny, also a professional since 2012, has never been stopped. He’s been down several times but always finished on his feet. The men who dropped him, Daniel Roman and Michael Conlan, possess neither the speed nor power of Inoue. At 37, Doheny’s legs are going to get as heavy as the artillery coming his way. 

Inoue is the pick, stopping Doheny for the first time and a body shot might be the way it goes down.    

Rold Picks 2024: 26-14