Portlaoise's world champion TJ Doheny signs with Eddie Hearn, will defend title next week

IBF WORLD SUPER-BANTAMWEIGHT champion TJ Doheny has signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing USA, and will defend his title in New York next Friday, 18 January.

The Portlaoise southpaw, 32, will take to the ring in 5,000-capacity Theater at Madison Square Garden in the first defence of the title he ripped from Ryosuke Iwasa in Japan last August.

The fight will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in Ireland and DAZN in the USA.

“I am really excited to getting the ball rolling with my first defence on 18 January at Madison Square Garden,” Doheny said. “This fight will give me the momentum I need going into really big year.”

Delighted to welcome another World Champ to the team! Welcome @TjDoheny IBF Super Bantamweight champ! Next fight Jan 18 MSG live on @DAZN_USA 👊🏼 🇺🇸 ☘️ pic.twitter.com/J2pNotvsYK

— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) January 7, 2019

Added promoter Eddie Hearn: “I’m delighted to welcome TJ to the team. TJ is always in great fights and he is coming off a huge win in Japan to capture the title.

He will make the first defence of his title at Madison Square Garden on 18 January and if he comes through will attempt to unify the division against WBA champ Danny Roman in the spring. There are some great fights to be made at 122lbs and we expect to see all of them on DAZN.

The Australia-based Doheny [20-0, 14KOs] is now a stablemate of Irish compatriots Katie Taylor, Ryan Burnett and Jono Carroll, but will fight predominantly in the USA as part of Matchroom’s American roster.

A fight between Doheny and former unified bantamweight champion Burnett from Belfast — the latter of whom suffered a first pro defeat in extremely unfortunate circumstances last time out — has been mooted since the Laois man became a world champion last summer.

With Burnett now out of the reckoning in the World Boxing Super Series at bantamweight, an all-Irish world title fight with Doheny makes sense. Matchroom’s latest recruit will first attempt to earn more gold up at super-bantam, however.

On 18 January, Doheny joins a card which already features future Katie Taylor opponent Amanda Serrano who is bidding to become a seven-weight world champion, as well as WBO World middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade and former RING Magazine and WBA World lightweight champion Jorge Linares.

The42 understands Doheny is not in the running to join Taylor, Carroll and John Joe Nevin on Matchroom’s Patrick’s weekend card in Philadelphia.

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