Nick Ball’s Defense Against Doheny: Why A Title Shot After A Knockout Loss Makes No Sense

Nick Ball says he’ll be looking to make a “statement” with his title defense of his WBA featherweight belt against #6-ranked TJ Doheny in their main event fight this Saturday, March 15th at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England.

Fans don’t understand why Ball, 28, is defending against the 38-year-old Doheny. Doheny (26-5, 20 KOs) is coming off a seventh-round knockout loss to undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya inoue on September 3rd last year.

Pathetic Choice

Moreover, the Irish native Doheny is making his debut at 126, which makes it look even more weird. It would be a little more sporting if Ball at least fought someone who has been fighting at featherweight, and coming off a win. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?

These killers are ranked above Doheny in the WBA’s featherweight rankings:

– Bruce Carrington
– Otabek Kholmatov
– Brandon Figueroa
– Mirco neck

Using Doheny as the opponent makes sense on one level to sell tickets to casual boxing fans who recognize his name. However, it’s not good value for fans because he’s clearly washed up and doesn’t belong in the ring with a champion like Nick Ball. Also, you’re supposed to earn world title shots, not be given them off of the back of a knockout loss. It defeats the whole purpose if fighters can fight for world titles after they get blown out.

TJ Doheny was a good fighter years ago, but he’s been on the slide since 2019 when he went through a bad patch where he went 1-3. His career hasn’t rebounded since, as all of his victories have come against scrubs.

Ball (21-0-1, 12 KOs) is making his second defense of his WBA 126-lb belt that he won last year against Raymond Ford.

Complete DAZN Card for Saturday

Nick Ball vs. TJ Doheny
Andrew Cain vs. Charlie Edwards
Herrera cores vs. Jose Macias Enriquez
Brad Strand vs. Ionut Baluta
Jack Turner vs. Ryan Farrag
Jack Power vs. Jose Aguirre
Stephen Clarke vs. Dmitri Protkunas
Joe Bourne Vs. Cristian Uwaka
William Birchall vs. Engel Gomez

TJ Doheny: “I’m looking forward to showcasing my skills in front of a passionate Liverpool crowd on the weekend,” said Doheny during today’s press conference ahead of his fight against WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball this Saturday night. “He’s a good little fighter. He’s not a world champion for nothing.”

Nick Ball: “I don’t care what he’s done, who he’s been in with and what he’s done in his last fight. It’s all irrelevant. It’s all in the past. He’s fighting me on Saturday night. I’m just focused on that, really,” said Nick Ball, talking about the 38-year-old Doheny, who is coming off a knockout loss to Naoya Inoue.

“I don’t really know. It doesn’t really matter to me,” said Ball when asked if Doheny really believes he can win. I’m focused on me and I believe in me. That’s on Saturday night, doing what I do best. I’m always looking to do a better job, and always looking to put a statement performance on, especially in Liverpool with everyone that’s come out and bought tickets to support all the fighters. That’s what they deserve to put a show on for them,” said Ball when asked if he’s looking to do a better job against Doheny than Naoya Inoue did in his 7th round TKO win last September.