Inoue not as dynamic as usual, but stops Doheny in seventh round
'The Monster' retains undisputed 122 title, makes plans to return to U.S.; Takei outlasts Higa in tremendous battle to retain 118 belt; Hiraoka drops Barroso three times in 140 title eliminator
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“The Monster” Naoya Inoue may not have looked quite like his usual monstrous, destructive self, but the Japanese mega star nonetheless retained the undisputed junior featherweight title by seventh-round knockout against former titleholder TJ Doheny in the main event of an Ohashi Promotions card on Tuesday at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
Inoue, a four-division champion, who many view as the pound-for-pound king, moved to 23-0 with 21 stoppages in world title fights and notched his ninth consecutive knockout as he handily overcame a tricky opponent in Doheny.
Doheny, who had never previously been stopped, suffered an injury to his hip/lower back area that caused referee Bence Kovacs to wave off the fight 16 seconds into the seventh round when it was clear Doheny could not continue.
It was an anti-climactic ending to a disappointing fight that lacked the action and excitement Inoue bouts typically provide.
Still, Inoue was the clearly superior fighter as he landed heavy punches in spurts. He was much faster and a heavier hitter than former IBF 122-pound titleholder Doheny, 37, an Irish southpaw based in Australia, who entered the bout 4-0 in Japan but left with his first loss there and with his three-fight winning streak, all by knockout, over.
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