'I'm ready to put on a good show' - Doheny on Inoue fight

Irish southpaw TJ Doheny believes he is "ready to put connected a bully show" connected Tuesday arsenic he takes connected Naoya Inoue for nan undisputed super-bantamweight world championship.

Doheny antecedently held nan IBF super-bantamweight title successful 2019 earlier losing successful a unification lucifer to WBA champion Daniel Roman.

The 37-year-old is aiming to beryllium that he tin still compete astatine nan highest level erstwhile he faces nan unbeaten Inoue successful nan Ariake Arena successful Tokyo.

"Everything is successful cleanable information I couldn’t inquire to beryllium successful a amended position correct now and I’m really honoured to beryllium challenging for nan undisputed world championship," he said astatine nan Top Rank news conference.

Doheny, who is from Portlaoise, has spent each of his profession extracurricular of Europe, fighting successful Australia, US and astir precocious Japan.

Despite immoderate setbacks, since he mislaid his IBF title, Doheny has bounced backmost pinch 3 consecutive wins successful Japan against Kazuki Nakajima, Japhethlee Llamido and Bryl Bayogos.

He admits nan roadworthy backmost to challenging for belts has been a difficult one, but he is consenting to savour nan juncture aft nan agelong journey.

"My information has travel from tasting being a world champion and trying to get back, but it is difficult to get up for fights erstwhile they’re not world title fights," he conceded.

"I’ve ever had nan self-belief that I beryllium astatine this apical array pinch these champions and I’ve ever believed I’d get backmost here.

"It has taken maine a spot longer than I imagined but I’ve enjoyed nan climb and I’m fresh to put connected a bully show connected Tuesday."

His opponent, Inoue is regarded arsenic 1 of nan champion lb for lb boxers successful nan world.

The Japanese combatant is unbeaten successful 27 contests and has knocked retired his past 8 opponents.

The 31-year-old secured his first world title much than 10 years agone and has won each 22 of his world title bouts.

Inoue knocked retired England's Paul Butler to unify each nan bantamweight titles successful December 2022 and past did likewise successful nan ace bantamweight division, collecting nan WBC and WBO world titles by stopping Stephen Fulton successful July 2023 and adding nan WBA and IBF crowns by seeing disconnected Marlon Tapales successful December.

Doheny is good alert of nan talent of Inoue and holds him successful precocious regard, but was keen to accent that will count for thing erstwhile nan 2 men participate nan ring.

"Anyone who is an undisputed world champion deserves nan utmost respect conscionable because he is my force doesn’t make it immoderate different, we cognize travel Tuesday nighttime nan respect will spell retired nan model until aft nan fight," Doheny explained.

"I person nan opportunity to make history, truthful I americium highly motivated fighting for each nan belts.

"Danny Roman and I started this postulation of belts together and it’s clip to get them back."