Pound-for-pound superstar Naoya Inoue will make the second defense of his undisputed super bantamweight championship against Irish southpaw TJ Doheny at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Tuesday, September 3. The 12-round bout, plus undercard action, will be broadcast by ESPN+ in the U.S.
Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs) is coming off a devastating sixth-round knockout over another left-hander, Luis Nery, in May. However, the Japanese boxer-puncher was decked by a ferocious left in the opening round before taking command and battering the Mexican from pillar to post for the remainder of the fight.
“I know in my mind what I need to do [against Doheny],” said Inoue via translator at the final press conference. “Doheny is a fighter who doesn’t want to win by decision. That’s why I have to be careful. I am conscious that I have to be alert.
“I have pushed myself so hard. I am proud to say I practiced the hardest of my career for this.”
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Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs) hopes to give Inoue flashbacks to the first round of the Nery fight. Having begun his career at 122 pounds, the former IBF super bantamweight champ is the naturally bigger man and he’s a heavy puncher himself, with the left hand his signature weapon.
“My motivation has come from tasting being a world champion and trying to get back, but it is hard to get up for fights when they’re not world championship fights,” said Doheny.
“I’ve always had the self-belief that I belong at this top table with these champions and I’ve always believed I’d get back here. It has taken me a bit longer than I imagined but I’ve enjoyed the climb and I’m ready to put on a good show on Tuesday.”
The Sporting News will provide live coverage of the undercard and round-by-round scoring for the main event in Tokyo.
Naoya Inoue vs TJ Doheny live updates, highlights, and commentary
3:40 p.m. JST/ 2:40 a.m. ET: The first fight is about to get underway. Toshiki Shimomachi takes on Ryuya Tsugawa in a 10-round super bantamweight bout. The fighters are on their way to the ring.
3:30 p.m. JST/ 2:30 a.m. ET: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of pound-for-pound superstar Naoya Inoue’s defense of his undisputed super bantamweight title against Irishman TJ Doheny. We’re in the countdown!!!
How to watch Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny
- Channel/live stream: ESPN+
Fight fans can watch Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny on ESPN+. You can subscribe to ESPN+ for $ 10.99 on a monthly subscription and $ 109.99 on an annual subscription.
WATCH: Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny, exclusively on ESPN+
Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny start time
- Date: Tuesday, September 3
- Time: 5:45 a.m. ET | 2:45 a.m. PT
- Main event start time (approx.): 7:30 a.m. ET | 4:30 a.m. PT
- Location: Ariake Arena — Tokyo, Japan
The Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny main card airs at 5:45 a.m. ET. Inoue and Doheny should make their way to the ring around 7:30 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny start time in Japan
Inoue vs. Doheny starts at 6:45 p.m. local time. The main event should begin around 8:30 p.m. local time, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny fight card
- Naoya Inoue (c) vs. TJ Doheny for the IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO, and Ring Magazine super bantamweight titles
- Yoshiki Takei (c) vs. Diago Higa for the WBO bantamweight title
- Ismael Barroso (ic) vs. Andy Hiraoka for the interim WBA super lightweight title
- Jin Sasaki vs. Qamil Balla; Welterweights
- Toshiki Shimomachi vs. Ryuya Tsugawa; Super Bantamweights
