Nick Ball is aiming to make a significant impact when he defends his WBA featherweight title against the sixth-ranked contender, TJ Doheny, this coming Saturday, March 15th, at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.
There’s been quite a bit of chatter among fans about why Ball, at 28, has chosen to face the 38-year-old Doheny. Fans are puzzled because Doheny, who holds a record of 26 wins and 5 losses with 20 knockouts, is coming off a knockout defeat in the seventh round by the undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue last September.
### Questionable Opponent Choice
What’s more, Doheny is stepping up to featherweight for the first time, which only adds to the confusion. It seems less than ideal for Ball to face someone debuting in the division, especially one recovering from a recent loss. Traditionally, wouldn’t it make more sense for a title defense to feature a fighter with momentum, someone coming off a recent victory?
Several other formidable fighters, such as Bruce Carrington, Otabek Kholmatov, Brandon Figueroa, and Mirco Cuello, rank higher than Doheny in the WBA’s featherweight division. Bringing Doheny on board might appeal to casual fans thanks to his name recognition, but for many, it feels like a disservice to fans expecting a competitive match. Fighters should earn their title opportunities, not step into them after suffering a knockout.
Doheny, though a formidable fighter in his prime, has been declining in performance since his rough patch in 2019, when he posted a 1-3 record. His recent victories haven’t been against top-tier opponents.
As for Ball, who boasts a 21-0-1 record with 12 knockouts, this fight marks his second defense of the WBA featherweight belt, which he captured last year from Raymond Ford.
### DAZN Card for Saturday
The event lineup includes:
– Nick Ball vs. TJ Doheny
– Andrew Cain vs. Charlie Edwards
– Jadier Herrera 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
In preparation for the fight, Doheny expressed enthusiasm: “I’m really excited to show off my skills to the passionate Liverpool crowd,” he said at today’s press conference. “Nick’s a talented fighter, and holding the world championship confirms that.”
Ball, on the other hand, appears focused and unfazed by Doheny’s past: “I’m not concerned about his past achievements or recent fights. What matters is who he’s facing on Saturday – me,” Ball said. He seems eager to deliver a performance that matches, if not surpasses, Naoya Inoue’s victory over Doheny last September. Ball’s message was clear: “I’m always striving for a standout performance, especially with the Liverpool crowd supporting us. They deserve a great show.”
As Saturday approaches, the excitement builds in anticipation of what’s expected to be a memorable night of boxing.
