THE significance of Friday’s battle against TJ Doheny is not lost on Michael Conlan who is expecting the toughest examination of his career against the former world champion.

A shot at the winner of September’s unification clash between WBO champion Stephen Fulton and WBC king Brandon Figueroa is the carrot dangling for the winner in which Conlan insists he will target next, despite the interim WBA featherweight title on offer this week, but there is also bragging rights at stake.

It can rightly be argued that this is the biggest all-Irish clash in decades given the standing of both men with Conlan a former world amateur champion and Olympic medallist against Portlaoise’s Doheny who was IBF champion just a few years ago and came up just short in a unification against Daniel Roman.

Doheny has been based in Australia and America throughout his professional career and this, his 25th pro outing, is remarkably his first fight on Irish soil, so there will be a strange home and away dynamic for ‘The Power’ who holds a record of 22-2.

He won his title in Japan, defeating Ryosuke Iwasa back in 2018 with a successful defence against Ryohei Takahashi in New York before his defeat to Roman.

His last outing resulted in a second defeat, this time to a certain Ionut Baluta who Conlan had his hands full against last time, so this represents a final opportunity for the 34-year-old to get another shot at world honours and Conlan insists this makes him a dangerous prospect.

“It’s a massive fight for Ireland and the people,” said Conlan who holds a perfect 15-fight record.

“The guys who is the underdog should be the favourite. I really think TJ should be the favourite coming into this as there’s nothing to say I should be apart from being the up-and-comer.

“I haven’t beaten the guys TJ has and I haven’t been a world champion. I have approached this fight as the underdog and that’s the mentality I’ve assigned for myself.

“I’m going in against a tough, experienced dude who has been to the mountain top. He knows how to reach the peak and stay at the peak, and will be dying to get back there.”

Baluta is a common opponent and while the Romanian’s victory over Doheny in early 2020 was viewed as a major shock, perhaps a bit of over-confidence played a part as he was nowhere near his best on the night.

Doheny is a tough, aggressive southpaw who packs a punch, but his usual pressure style just wasn’t what we have come to expect on that occasion in Dubai.

The loss has left his ambitions to get back to world level on thin ice and Conlan knows that he must be on his game if he is to score what would be the best win of his professional career.

“This is his last chance saloon and I’m prepared for that,” the West Belfast man accepts.

“He is 34 now, had a surprise loss against Baluta where he missed the boat because he didn’t put the work in. He didn’t train and thought it was going to be an easy fight, but we know now that Baluta is so much better than what is suggested.

“TJ has been in with Danny Roman, won his world title in Japan, so he is no slouch. This is the toughest fight of my career and one where I can’t make the mistakes I’ve made in previous fights. If I do, I will lose.

“There are things I’ve done in the past I can’t do here and things I need to be 100 per cent on my game for, but what I can say with confidence is that I can beat TJ any way I want to beat him.”

Conlan required a majority points decision to defeat Baluta back in April with one judge scoring the bout level.

It wasn’t a vintage performance from the 29-year-old as his output was considerably lower than his opponent, but a look at the fight stats tell the story of Conlan landing considerably more.

Throw in the fact that is was his first fight down at super-bantamweight, first 12-rounder and first fight back after sustaining a serious ankle injury and there were positives to take from that outing.

“There was loads to take from it - the fact I didn’t really get hit for the 12 rounds for what was being thrown at me,” he agreed.

“I think it was less that 12 per cent of Baluta’s punches landed, so I think my defence was fantastic throughout.

“I wasn’t happy with the performance at the time, but when I look back at it, it’s one that will stand me in good stead. It was a great learning curve and a great fight where I could go in there and test out a few things, so I was happy with it.”

Conlan was celebrating victory at the Falls Park two years ago and is confident he will again this Friday
2Gallery

Conlan was celebrating victory at the Falls Park two years ago and is confident he will again this Friday

If Baluta was tough, Friday will be another step up again and Conlan knows it, but is confident he has more ways to win that Doheny and will prove as much.

The Laois man likes to stand and trade, has a great engine and can whack. Indeed, in that loss to Roman, he appeared on the brink of a stoppage in the seventh with the American in real trouble only to be saved by the bell.

Conlan is slick, can box comfortably in either stance and has an excellent jab, but more importantly in this match-up, can really make a dent to the body and this could be key to deterring Doheny’s raids.

There could be times when he has to stand and fight, but then it could well be a technical affair and these questions will only be answered when the opening bell goes.

What is for sure is that a hugely intriguing battle throughout and one where an argument can be made for either man with opinions divided. Just how much does Doheny have left, or will he rediscover his form of three years ago to stun the home support?

“By no means do I think this is an easy fight,” Conlan stressed.

“This is the toughest fight of my career and the best opponent I’ve faced so far. He’s a former world champion, a guy with heart, determination, grit, strength and speed. He has everything there, is a southpaw and has so much working in his favour. He is one guy who I am expecting to be a very tough night’s work.

“I think he might try to box and at stages he’s not going to be having the success he believes he is going to have, so he will try to march me down and take it to me. I think that’s the worst thing you can do.

“I have umpteen different ways to beat him, but the one I believe I will use is the one I have worked on and perfected in sparring and that will tick the box.”

That may well be the difference in this fight as Conlan has the ability to adapt and he may well need to do so, but with the world title opportunity he craves there for the taking, he should have enough to get the job done on the cards with a few rounds to spare.