Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny: Full card results
The Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan hosted a bunch of entertaining fights, headlined by an undisputed super bantamweight title fight between champion Naoya Inoue and TJ Doheny.
Toshiki Shimomachi opened the card with a unanimous decision (97-92, 96-93, 96-93) win over Ryuya Tsugawa. The 27-year-old improved his record to 19-1, cementing his status as a rising star in the super bantamweight division.
Japanese knockout sensation Jin Sasaki delivered a violent finish against Qamil Balla, leaving the Aussie fighter crumpled on the canvas. Sasaki unleashed a relentless barrage of punches that cornered Balla, who ultimately collapsed under the assault at the 0:52 mark of the event round. Sasaki improved his record to 17 knockouts in 18 wins with this victory.
Meanwhile, Andy Hiraoka extended his unbeaten record to 24-0 with a dominant ninth-round stoppage win over Ismael Barroso. The Yokohama native controlled the fight with his ring generalship, methodically picking apart Barroso, who struggled to mount any significant offense. Hiraoka dropped Barroso three times and delivered a crushing left hand in the ninth round that sealed the deal.
In one of the most highly anticipated clashes on the card, Yoshiki Takei retained his WBO bantamweight championship in a thrilling bout against Daigo Higa. He won the fight by unanimous decision with scores of 115-112, 114-113, and 114-113. The fight proved to be a back-and-forth war, with both men trading heavy blows throughout. Takei controlled much of the action with his sharp counters and precise uppercuts, but Higa’s relentless pressure and a stunning knockdown in the 11th round kept the contest razor-close.
In the main event, Naoya Inoue secured a seventh-round TKO victory over TJ Doheny due to a potential leg injury sustained by the challenger. The fight had been fiercely contested, with Inoue's relentless body work gradually wearing down the 37-year-old challenger. By round six, Doheny was visibly struggling, as Inoue started landing heavy punches. However, despite the anti-climatic finish, Inoue promised to come back stronger, an improved fighter in the next fight.
Naoya Inoue vs. TJ Doheny full card results
Naoya Inoue defeats TJ Doheny via TKO in the seventh round (0:16)
Yoshiki Takei (c) defeated Daigo Higa via unanimous decision (115-112, 114-113, 114-113)
Andy Hiraoka defeated Ismael Barroso via TKO in the ninth round (2:58)
Jin Sasaki defeated Qamil Balla via TKO in the seventh round (0:52)
Toshiki Shimomachi defeated Ryuya Tsugawa via unanimous decision (97-92, 96-93, 96-93)