TJ Doheny, set to challenge WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball tomorrow night, missed weight by a solitary ounce at today’s weigh-in. The contest is scheduled to take place tomorrow (March 15) at the Echo Arena in Ball’s home city of Liverpool, England.

The Irishman, who is based in Australia, was initially over the 126lbs limit by four ounces only to remove his briefs and still be a shade too heavy. He will have an hour to make the contracted weight - and is fully expected to do so. Ball, who will make the second defense of his world strap, tipped the scales at 125lbs 9oz.

The boxers, dehydrated and hungry, were then asked to go nose-to-nose and, unsurprisingly, had to be pulled apart.

The 28-year-old Ball, 21-0-1 (12 KOs), starts as a huge favorite as Doheny, 38, enters the ring for the first time since being blitzed in seven rounds by Naoya Inoue out in Japan, in a bid for the world junior featherweight crown, last September. Doheny, a former beltholder at junior feather, is 26-5 (20 KOs).

Ball, who has since accused Doheny of quitting against “The Monster”, is bang in form. 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.

The weights for the major bouts on the card are as follows:

12 rounds, WBA featherweight title

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

TJ Doheny (126lbs 1oz), 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)

Jose Macias Enriquez (134lbs 2oz), 21-3-2 (8 KOs)

10 rounds, junior bantamweight

Jack Turner (114lbs 9oz), 10-0 (9 KOs)

Ryan Farrag (114lbs 14oz), 23-5 (6 KOs)