Doheny misses weight & given an hour to lose ounce

TJ Doheny weighed in an ounce heavier than the featherweight limit for Saturday's world-title challenge against Nick Ball in Liverpool

The Irishman had an hour to lose the weight before being weighed again.

However, he is expected to lose the weight and the fight does not appear to be in jeopardy.

Doheny, 38, weighed four ounces over the 9st limit when he first stepped on the scales, before stripping off his boxer shorts while covered by a black sheet.

Liverpool's WBA champion Ball, 28, did not take kindly to the challenger missing the weight and the pair exchanged words and a light push at the face-off.

Doheny was then held back by security before he willingly left the stage at Liverpool's Box Park.

Australia-based Doheny is contesting his second consecutive world-title challenge after he was beaten by Japan's undisputed super-bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue in September.

A former super-bantamweight champion himself, Doheny has won 26 pro fights and lost five in a 13-year career.

Ball will headline the M&S Bank Arena for the second time after he stopped Ronny Rios in October.

The Kirkby-born fighter has 21 fights and drawn one since making his debut in a Liverpool nightclub in 2017.