Over the past few months, TJ Doheny could have been forgiven for feeling like a background character in his own story.

The Irishman is in Liverpool to challenge WBA featherweight champion, Nick Ball, 21-0-1 (12 KOs), but rather than centring around Doheny’s chances of springing an upset, the majority of pre-fight talk has been about the seventh round stoppage defeat he suffered at the hands of undisputed super bantamweight champion, Naoya Inoue, last September and whether Ball will be able to lay the groundwork for a future fight with the Japanese superstar by doing a better, more clinical job.

Doheny, 26-5 (20 KOs), isn’t in town as an extra in Ball’s audition for a fight with Inoue. The former IBF super bantamweight champion is aiming to snatch the Liverpudlian’s title and put himself in line for another major opportunity. The fight will be screened in the UK by TNT Sports.

After spending the vast majority of his career making super bantamweight, Doheny believes that the move up to featherweight will give him a new lease of life.

At Friday afternoon’s weigh in, the 38 year-old certainly looked like the extra four pounds had done him the world of good.

Doheny looked strong and successfully made weight at at the second attempt after initially scaling just 1oz over the 126lb limit.

Ball’s robust style and relentless workrate are two of his undoubted attributes but Doheny is adamant that it is he who will be the stronger man once the first bell sounds.

“I'm the taller man. Look he's small and he’s stocky but he fights well to his stature. He’s good that way. He's a good little pressure fighter,” he told Queensberry.

“Even though I'm coming up, I’m the bigger stronger man at the weight

“I probably should have been a featherweight a little longer but all those big opportunities were coming at 122 so I used to have to boil down to get to there.”

Ball’s impressive run of form has led his promoter, Frank Warren, to label him and IBF heavyweight champion, Daniel Dubois, as Britain’s best active fighters.

As well as Inoue, Doheny has shared the ring with a number of top class operators including Michael Conlan and Daniel Roman and experience has taught him not to buy into any hype.

He is wise enough to acknowledge Ball’s qualities and achievements but feels that it is still too soon to describe him as the best of British.

“He's still a young kid to put massive pressure on his shoulders,” Doheny said.

“Britain’s stacked with top, top fighters. He’s probably one of the hottest names at the minute. To be putting that in terms of ability, skill, power and as an all round fighter, that’s a big call. Maybe he's probably the best at what he does but, boxing as a whole, there’s some some top, top fighters in this country.”