Barroso-Hiraoka WBA Interim Title Bout Chief Support For Inoue-Doheny

Sources tell Brunch Boxing that the co-feature for September’s highly anticipated undisputed super bantamweight title bout between Naoya Inoue and TJ Doheny will be an interim WBA junior welterweight title clash. This bout features the reigning champion, Ismael Barroso, taking on the undefeated contender, Andy Hiraoka.

Barroso (25-4-2, 23 KOs) returns to the ring to defend the title he claimed in January with a stunning first-round knockout of Ohara Davies. The 41-year-old Venezuelan, known for his devastating power, aims to solidify his reign by defeating Hiraoka and securing his place as the mandatory challenger for the full WBA title. The full version of the title is currently held by Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, who is scheduled to defend his belt against Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela on August 3rd as part of the Riyadh season card headlined by Terence Crawford.

For Hiraoka (23-0, 18 KOs), this bout represents a golden opportunity to establish himself as the next Japanese superstar in the sport. The 27-year-old rising star from Yokohama has been steadily climbing the ranks and will look to make a definitive statement by toppling Barroso and positioning himself for a shot at the full WBA title.

The main event of the evening features Naoya Inoue, the biggest star in Japanese boxing history and one of the sport’s global faces, defending his undisputed super bantamweight crown for the second time. Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs) will face former IBF champion TJ Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs) in what promises to be an electrifying showdown. Inoue’s last defense saw him deliver a spectacular sixth-round knockout of Luis Nery, drawing nearly 60,000 fans to the Tokyo Dome.

A press conference is scheduled for early Tuesday in Japan (Monday night in the US) to officially announce the event. The card is expected to take place on September 3rd in Tokyo, Japan, and promises to be a night of unforgettable action for boxing fans worldwide.