Veteran Boxer TJ Doheny Stages Impressive Comeback in Super-Bantamweight Division

Former IBF super-bantamweight champion TJ Doheny is making a strong comeback, proving that despite his advancing age of 37, he remains a force to be reckoned with in the 122lbs division.

Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs) first captured the IBF super-bantamweight title in 2018 with a victory over Ryosuke Iwasa, successfully defending it once before suffering a defeat in a unification bout against then-WBA champion Daniel Roman in April 2019. Following that loss, Doheny experienced a dip in form, losing three of his next five fights to Ionut Baluta, Michael Conlan, and Sam Goodman.

However, the Australian-based Irishman has since turned things around, winning his last three contests in Japan, all by knockout. Doheny’s recent stoppage wins over Kazuki Nakajima, Japhethlee Llamido, and Bryl Bayogos have propelled him back into title contention, as he is now ranked No. 3 by the WBO and sits at No. 10 and No. 9 with the IBF and WBC, respectively.

“I am very much in the mix right now,” Doheny told Irish-boxing.com, expressing his confidence in securing a shot at undisputed champion Naoya Inoue, who recently defended his titles against Luis Nery at the Tokyo Dome. Doheny believes that while Inoue’s post-fight face-off with Sam Goodman was likely a publicity stunt, he is the front-runner to challenge the Japanese superstar in September, with Goodman potentially getting his opportunity later in the year or early 2025.

Doheny’s impressive comeback has shown that he remains a formidable contender in the super-bantamweight division, and he will be eagerly awaiting the opportunity to compete for the undisputed championship.

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