In professional boxing, you don't get paid for overtime. Undisputed super bantamweight king Naoya Inoue and challenger TJ Doheny are advocates of that rule, and while both men will be prepared for 12 rounds, they'll be hoping to end matters inside the distance when they collide in Tokyo on September 3.
Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs) is the consensus choice for hardest pound-for-pound puncher in boxing today. The Japanese knockout artist has traversed through four divisions and carried his power up with him. The last time "The Monster" went 12 rounds was November 2019 in his Fight of the Year encounter with Nonito Donaire, which he won by unanimous decision.
WATCH: Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny, exclusively on ESPN+
The stats will show that Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs) is also an authentic knockout puncher. The Irishman hasn't won a fight by decision since August 2018 and his power has been decisive in five subsequent victories. Twelve of Doheny's 20 knockouts have come in three rounds or less and he can end a fight with one punch. Known as "The Power", Doheny is also a natural super bantamweight.
The Sporting News looks at the chances of Inoue vs. Doheny going the full 12 rounds.
Will Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny go 12 rounds?
Fight fans don't expect Inoue to go the distance. The champion has the reputation of a power-punching destroyer and he's one of the best offensive fighters of the modern era. Inoue forces the boxers to fight and outpunches the punchers who have the guts to take him on.
In world bouts against Antonio Nieves and Paul Butler, Inoue became visibly frustrated when these opponents went on the back foot. He actually taunted them for employing negative tactics, punished the pair, and eventually scored stoppage wins over both.
Against heavy hitters like Nonito Donaire and Luis Nery, Inoue encountered adversity. Donaire broke Inoue's orbital bone with a left hook in the second round of their first fight and shook him up on other occasions. However, "The Filipino Flash" was floored by a body shot, hurt several times himself, and beaten via unanimous decision. Nery became the first fighter to floor Inoue, but the Mexican lefty was dropped three times and knocked out cold for the infringement .
MORE: SN's Top 12 best pound-for-pound boxers
Doheny has never been stopped in a 12-year professional career. The 37-year-old ex-champ had been floored by both Daniel Roman and Michael Conlan, but he pulled himself up and battled back hard before dropping decisions. Durable and a real fighting man, he will not be easy to discourage.
The problem is that Doheny has never been in with a puncher as explosive and ruthless as Inoue. If this fight went 12 rounds, fans and media would be surprised. The general feeling is that the challenger will fall to his first stoppage defeat at the Ariake Arena.
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)
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