Boxing Betting Tips: Naoya Inoue vs TJ Doheny

The Monster returns with hopes of mashing another victim as Japan's Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24KOs) defends his undisputed super-bantameight titles against former belt-holder TJ Doheny (26-4, 20KOs).

Inoue comes into the bout having picked himself off the canvas in his last contest - so he is human after all - before eventually breaking down and halting challenger Luis Nery in impressive fashion.

The victory made it a staggering 21 KOs in 22 world title bouts for the 31-year-old, who enters a heavy favourite in this one. 

Odds Now's resident boxing expert Brad Walker runs you through the contest ahead of the opening bell. 

Naoya Inoue vs TJ Doheny - Fight Details

When is the fight?

The bout takes place on September 3rd. The main broadcast begins at 7:30am BST. Main event ringwalks are expected to take place at 12pm BST. 

Where is the fight? 

Inoue returns to the Ariake Arena in Tokyo for the fourth time in his last five fights. 

Betting Odds

Inoue 1/41

Draw 33/1

Doheny 20/1

*Best UK prices as of 10AM 02/09/2024 

Big Fight Analysis

Inoue strongly-backed to win comfortably - and rightly so 

Inoue is an overwhelming odds-on favourite to secury victory on Tuesday morning and so he should be. There's no point in pretending any different. Boxing fans understandably scoffed when word spread of this fight being made because of Inoue's standing as one of the sport's best pound-for-pound offerings.

Of course, no one can accuse the Japanese native of avoiding fights or looking to take the easy road. Just look at the wins on his resume; Ricardo Rodriguez, Jamie McDonnell, Juan Carlos Payano, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Nonito Donaire (twice), Jason Moloney, Paul Butler, Stephen Fulton Jr, Marlon Tapoles, Luis Nery. Remarkable - enough to pack out three careers. 

What's most impressive is the fashion in which Inoue has disposed of those listed above. Donaire is the only one of those fighters to have taken him the distance - in their first barnstormer of a meeting at bantamweight back in November 2019 - which Inoue won with a hard-fought unanimous victory.

His second meeting with Donaire would be much more straight-forward, though. Inoue pummelled the Filipino inside two rounds in his penultimate fight at bantamweight before moving up in search of world titles in a fourth weight category.

Many questioned how he'd cope with the added size and power of fighters at 122lbs but his super-bantamweight debut soon quashed those fears. He dominated Stephen Fulton Jr - who many considered to be the best super-bantamweight on the planet - before stopping the American in seven rounds to claim the WBC and WBO titles. He has since added the IBF and WBA with a tenth-round stoppage of Marlon Tapoles, becoming undisputed champion in a second weight division in the process. 

His most recent bout saw a defence against Mexican Luis Nery who, at least momentarily, looked to have found a chink in Inoue's armour with a first-round knockdown of the Japanese native. He might have only accelerated his own defeat in doing so though, and was eventually dropped and stopped in front of a baying Tokyo crowd.

Inoue's second fight with Donaire saw him blast through the latter inside two rounds. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)

Doheny faces a mountainous task in Tokyo 

All of the above explains why Doheny is such a wide underdog heading into the bout at the Ariaka Arena. In reality, this bout being made was less to do with any competitive merits but because of Doheny's recent resurgence fighting in Japan, which has only served to enhance his commercial weight in the country. 

Not only did Doheny first become world champion in the Japanese capital - upsetting local fighter Ryosuke Iwasa to win the IBF super-bantamweight title back in August 2018 - the Irishman's last three career victories have also occurred on Japanese soil. 

Doheny stunned local prospect Kazuki Nakajima with a fourth-round knockout in June last year before picking up two more victories in the country. The run has enhanced his reputation in Japanese boxing circles while earning him a shot at a man many believe to be the pound-for-pound best fighter in the sport. 

Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk might have something to say about that but, nevertheless, the challenge facing the now 37-year-old Doheny cannot be overstated. While his recent exploits have been impressive, particularly given his age, he has arguably never fought someone of the level of the man who will be standing opposite him come Tuesday lunchtime.

Prior to the Nakijima fight, he had lost four of his last six contests, though to his credit none had ended inside the distance. 

But, to reiterate my above point, Doheny has not fought at this level before. And, with the greatest of respect to him, Inoue has made mince meat of fighters far better than the Irish challenger in recent years. Anything but an early stoppage for the champion would be a surprise. 

Odds Now's best bet

Naoya Inoue to win between rounds 1-3 @ 21/10 (Betway) - 2 pts