TJ Doheny makes weight for Nick Ball challenge at third time of asking

Irish veteran TJ Doheny took less than an hour to shed the ounce he needed to secure tomorrow’s shot at WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball in Liverpool, England.

At Friday’s public weigh-in the 38-year-old challenger, who is based in Australia, initially hit the scales at 126lbs 4oz before he removed his underpants. Behind a black cloak, the naked Doheny looked frustrated – as Ball’s coach Paul Stephenson watched closely – as he just failed to make the featherweight limit of 126lbs.

But the 26-5 (20 KOs) Doheny returned, within the allocated one-hour window, having lost the required ounce and the fight – as expected – is on.

Ball, 21-0-1 (12 KOs), will start as a huge favorite - and not only because he is 10 years younger. He stepped up last March in a bid for the WBC 126lbs title and was deemed unlucky to only get a 12-round draw against Rey Vargas. That was followed, just three months later, with victory over Raymond Ford following 12 hectic rounds to lift the WBA title. His first defense came in October when Ball halted Ronny Rios in 10.

Doheny, a former titlist at junior featherweight, was last seen getting stopped by Naoya Inoue in September. Though outgunned and outclassed he lasted until the seventh round before an injury forced him out. Ball believes Doheny quit, something the Irishman denies and an accusation that has angered him. Even so, he's yet to compete against a world class featherweight.

Revised list of weights for the Echo Arena bill:

12 rounds, WBA featherweight title

Nick Ball (125lbs 9oz), 21-0-1 (12 KOs)

TJ Doheny (126lbs), 26-5 (20 KOs)

12 rounds, British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles

Andrew Cain (117lbs 8oz), 13-1 (12 KOs)

Charlie Edwards (117lbs 9oz), 20-1 (7 KOs)

10 rounds, junior featherweight

Brad Strand (121lbs 12oz), 12-1 (4 KOs)

Ionut Baluta (121lbs 9oz), 16-5-1 (3 KOs)

10 rounds, lightweight

Jadier Herrera (134lbs 9oz), 16-0 (14 KOs)