How does TJ Doheny beat Naoya Inoue? Assessing the challenger's chances in undisputed title fight

In folklore, a werewolf can be vanquished by a silver bullet, while a vampire is susceptible to sunlight and the holy cross. Unfortunately for TJ Doheny , neither will work against “The Monster,” Naoya Inoue , who defends his undisputed super bantamweight title against the Irishman on September 3 in Tokyo. The 12-round bout, plus undercard action, will be broadcast by ESPN+ in the U.S.

WATCH: Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny, exclusively on ESPN+

The 31-year-old Inoue is perhaps the most intimidating fighter in world boxing. At 27-0 (24 KOs), the Japanese destroyer has only been taken the distance once in the past eight years and he’s on an eight-fight knockout streak. In his most recent outing, the champion rose from a first-round knockdown to score a devastating sixth-round knockout over Mexican lefty Luis Nery .

However, despite his reputation as a merciless puncher, Inoue is also one of the most technically proficient fighters in the sport. The champ has excellent hand speed, perfect balance and his skills are beyond reproach. In other words, opponents have more to worry about than just being nailed by a concussive punch to the chin. This begs the question, what does TJ Doheny do to upset the odds?

The Sporting News assesses the challenger’s chances of inflicting the first loss on the record of Naoya Inoue.

How does TJ Doheny beat Naoya Inoue?

Make no mistake about it, Doheny is a world-class operator. He is rated No. 7 by The Ring at 122 pounds and holds career-defining triumphs over Ryosuke Iwasa (to win his world title) and Ryohei Takahashi.

A former IBF super bantamweight champion, Doheny is also natural at the weight and should have a strength advantage over Inoue, who has vaulted through four divisions. And unlike a lot of the champion’s prior opponents, the Irishman has plenty of experience fighting in Japan. He’s fought there on four occasions.

However, these advantages can only carry you so far. Inoue is six years Doheny’s junior, and he holds almost all of the aces in this matchup. The champion is quicker, more skillful, more explosive and he’s in his fighting prime.

If we’re being real, Doheny only has a puncher’s chance, so that’s the route to victory for him. Known as “The Power,” the challenger has to lure “The Monster” into a perfect left hand and knock him out cold. He also has to do it early because the longer the fight goes, the more damage Doheny will absorb and he'll begin to break down.

We’ve seen Inoue on the canvas and we’ve seen him shaken up, so he’s not impregnable.

Is TJ Doheny a big puncher?

Doheny can punch. He has 20 knockouts in 26 wins, and he’s stopped his last three opponents on Japanese soil. And the important thing is he’s an authentic puncher at super bantamweight, which is what he's banking on.

“I think I bring a different type of challenge than Inoue’s previous opponents,” Doheny told The Ring recently. “The last two were both southpaws (Marlon Tapales and Luis Nery), but if you go back through their records, they were career bantamweights. I’m a career super bantamweight and it’s no secret I’m big for the weight, so I have that strength, and everybody knows about my punch power. I bring those attributes to the ring.

“In terms of preparation and stuff, I just need to get myself in the best physical shape and we’ll see how the fight plays out from there.”

Naoya Inoue record, stats bio

• Nationality: Japanese
• Born: April 10, 1993
• Height: 5-5 ½
• Reach: 67.5 in
• Total Fights: 27
• Record: 27-0 (24 KOs)

TJ Doheny record, stats bio

• Nationality: Irish
• Born: November 2, 1986
• Height: 5-5 ½
• Reach: 68 in
• Total Fights: 30
• Record: 26-4 (20 KOs)