Fighter of the Week: TJ Doheny

Fighter of the Week: TJ Doheny

By Paul Oltai

This weeks Fighter of the Week was a relatively easy one for me, with not a huge lot of action over the weekend I think the honour this week should fall to Irish-born United States native TJ Doheny.

Irish man Doheny went to Japan to face Ryosuke Iwasa who was making the 2nd defence of his IBF Super Bantamweight belt which he had won against Yukinori Oguni almost 12 months ago.

Doheny outpointed Iwasa over twelve winning a unanimous decision in the Japan natives own back yard with scorecards of 116-112 117-112 115-113.

You may not have heard much about Doheny in the paid ranks in the UK and that may be because once he left the amateur ranks he decided to start his professional career in Australia where he had spent most of his career before eventually moving to the United States having amassed 19 wins with 14 ko’s previous to his world title shot on Thursday in Japan.

A very successful amateur who twice missed out on a chance in the Olympics to fellow Irish pro John Joe Nevin, his fortunes have now changed and he has managed to secure his maiden world title ahead of his old Irish amateur rival.

With the Super Bantamweight division stacked with talent with fellow world title holders Rey Vargas (WBC), Daniel Roman (WBA) and Isaac Dogboe (WBO) there looks to be some great fights made with the most natural being fellow United State native Daniel Roman who must first get passed UK’s Gavin McDonnell which by all means is not a given.

The future looks good for Doheny and would be great to see him come back to Ireland to defend his belt in the nation that taught him his trade.

Honourable mentions also this week have to go out to Tyson Fury who may not have had the most glittering performance but he secured one of the biggest fights to be made in world boxing by confirming he will be challenging WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder.

Paddy Barnes dared to be great in just his 6th pro fight by taking on WBC flyweight world champion Cristofer Rosales losing to a fourth round stoppage with a body punch that would have folded most fighters out there never mind fellow flyweights.