Naoya Inoue, recognized as one of the premier pound-for-pound boxers globally, remains at the top of his game.
The Japanese boxer defeated TJ Doheny via TKO at the 0:16 mark of the seventh round to retain his undisputed junior featherweight title on Tuesday in Tokyo.
The conclusion of the bout was somewhat anticlimactic. Doheny appeared to sustain an injury after Inoue landed a combination to the body, which rendered the challenger unable to continue.
Doheny later reported an issue with a muscle above his hip, leading to his leg going dead, as noted by boxing reporter Dan Rafael.
Despite the unexpected ending, Inoue’s victory seemed likely by the seventh round. He gained his rhythm in the dominant sixth round, with body shots significantly impacting Doheny.
Inoue began the fight with a notably slow and measured approach over the first five rounds, yet he still managed to control most of the action. While Doheny landed a few notable punches, Inoue maintained his activity and pressured his opponent throughout.
Bob Arum, Inoue’s co-promoter, announced after the fight that Inoue is set to defend his 122-pound titles at the end of 2024 and will then seek a fight in the United States in the following year. “The Monster” has not fought in the U.S. since June 2021.
Inoue, 31, now holds an undefeated record of 28-0 with 25 knockouts. He captured the undisputed junior featherweight championship last December and successfully defended it with a sixth-round knockout of Luis Nery in May.
Doheny, a 37-year-old from Ireland who resides in Australia, entered the fight with a three-fight winning streak. He suffered his first knockout defeat and is now 26-5 as a professional. Doheny held the IBF junior featherweight title from 2018-19.
