Nick Ball Vs. TJ Doheny Preview: Who Wins?
The WBA Featherweight Champion Nick Ball takes on TJ Doheny on March 15, as we look at how the fight could play out.
Ball looks to extend his undefeated record to 22-0. He enters the fight with a tenth-round stoppage win over Ronny Rios last October. Meanwhile, Doheny is looking to bounce back to winning ways after Naoya Inoue knocked him out last September. The match-up has raised many talking points. Ball is known for keeping a solid guard as he tries to walk down his opponents. He uses his pressure to close the gap before letting fly with left and right hooks.
Key Factors
Doheny moves up from super bantamweight, as the extra weight could benefit him. He is a southpaw who likes to wind up on his punches. While he was stopped in his last bout, he is known for being a very durable fighter. The Inoue loss was the first stoppage defeat of his career against someone who has stopped his last ten opponents.
Doheny also has much more experience, with a 10-year age advantage. He has fought across the world, having traveled to the United States, Thailand, Dubai, Ireland, and Tokyo. He has also racked up a resume with big names, such as Sam Goodman, Michael Conlan, and Daniel Roman. While Ball has also faced good opposition in Sam Goodman, Michael Conlan, and Daniel Roman, he is 28 compared to Doheny, who is 38. That leaves question marks over whether age or experience will be the telling factor.
Doheny showed that he does quit in the crunch moments of a fight. The Inoue defeat followed after a body shot stopped him in his tracks. While a body shot can do that, Doheny did not go out on his back, leaving Ball to say he quit. However, the weight may have played a difference as Doheny moved up immediately.
Pre-Fight
“I love Nick Ball. You know that. He’s a magnificent fighter. [And] he’s brilliant at what he’s done, the way he’s come through, showing the world what he’s about. [And] he’s just been fabulous at what he’s done, how he’s taken advantage of the opportunities that he’s had and showing the world what he’s all about. The fight with him and Inoue, and Inoue coming up in weight, if that happens in December, I would love it to happen. “They’ve all got to keep winning, obviously, but I would love that fight,” Frank Warren said
“I’ve always looked up to Mike Tyson. I appreciate his style of boxing and wanted to incorporate that into my own style. No messing about, looking to get the job done against his opponents. It’s all action and I think that is what everyone wants to watch as well. You get your money’s worth when you are watching people like me and Mike Tyson because it is edge of your seat stuff,” Ball
Full Card
Nick Ball vs TJ Doheny; Featherweight
Andrew Cain vs Charlie Edwards; Bantamweight
Brad Stand vs Ionut Baluta; Super bantamweight
Jack Turner vs Ryan Farag; Super flyweight
Jadier Herrera vs Jose Macias Enriquez; Lightweight
Lucas Biswana vs TBA; Welterweight
Boma Brown vs TBA; Heavyweight
Jack Power vs Jose Aguirre; Super middleweight
William Birchall vs TBA; Featherweight
Stephen Clarke vs Dmitri Protkunas; Middleweight
Lewis Lawton vs Artjom Spatar; Super welterweight
Leighton Birchall vs Laszlo Bernath; Super bantamweight
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