Portlaoise’s TJ Doheny will ring in the New Year with a defence of his IBF super bantamweight title.
The 20-0 pugilist won the belt with a unanimous decision win over Ryosuke Iwasa in August of last year. He earned the nod from the judges in Tokyo, no less.
While his next opponent also hails from Japan, Doheny’s next bout will take place at the Hulu Theatre located in the historic Madison Square Garden in New York.
Having signed up with promoter Eddie Hearn during the week, Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing confirmed that Doheny will face Ryohei Takahashi this coming Friday.
Confirmed: @tjdoheny defends his IBF World Super-Bantamweight title against Ryohei Takahashi at @HuluTheaterMSG on Friday January 18, live on @DAZN_USA and @SkySports ? #AndradeAkavov #DohenyTakahashi pic.twitter.com/zokNGsx8Fp
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) January 13, 2019
Takahashi is 16-3-1 in his professional career, with one of those defeats coming against regional WBA champion Andrew Moloney.
The card on Friday will be live on Sky Sports, and is headlined by former three-weight world champion Jorge Linares, who taes on the unheralded Pablo Cesar Cano.
The presence of Amanda Cerrano on the undercard is also of interest, with the six-weight world champion seemingly on a collision course with Doheny’s compatriot, Katie Taylor.
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