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Dennis Hogan praying champ Munguia doesn’t vacate – Hurricane wants to tame The Beast


#Dennis Hogan [27(7)-1-1] doesn’t want to close his eyes and wait until morning. The Brsbane-based Kildare fighter wants to look under the bed and stare the bogeyman down.
‘The Hurricane’ has finally secured WBO light middleweight mandatory status and expects to challenge for the belt before March of 2019 is done.

The current champion is the man they call ‘The Beast’, the giant at the weight Jaime Munguia [31(26)-0-0] awaits.

The Mexican is an emerging talent with an eye for a knockout. The fact he is huge at the weight makes him a daunting prospect, but also has some suggesting he might move up to middleweight and vacate the title moving into 2019.

If the Golden Boy fighter was to abdicate the WBO light middle crown Hogan would be handed a perceived easier route to the title –although Golden Boy have confirmed the Mexican will make a third defence in January and Irish-boxing.com believe his team have also confirmed plans to defend against Hogan. 

Mungiua or 'Ivan Drago' ?
Mungiua or ‘Ivan Drago’ ?

That will prove music to the Kildare man’s ears as he doesn’t want to do things easy and is adamant he wants to face down the 22-year-old.

“Dennis doesn’t want to win the vacant title. Honestly, he wants Munguia. He wants to prove he can beat him and he isn’t this big monster, but he also wouldn’t feel like the champion unless he beats the person holding the title,” DDP’s Paul Keegan told Irish-Boxing.com.

“As his promoter, don’t care. I’ll snap anyone’s hand off to get him the world title he deserves, but credit to Dennis he wants to beat the champion to become the champion.”

Not only does Hogan, who was recently offered an IBF final eliminator with top American Julian Williams, want to beat the champion he believes he can. 

At first sight, his promoter Keegan, who has evolved from friend, to sponsor, to proxy manager, and now promoter, feared the worst, but now shares ‘The Hurricane’s’ confidence.

“I believe Munguia is wary of Dennis,” claimed the Dubliner.

“Now that is just my opinion but I honestly believe that. I sat with Dennis and we watched the Liam Smith fight and Dennis was so confident after.”

“Now Dennis is not your brash sort and as you know he doesn’t talk smack or anything like it, but after that fight he was buzzing for the fight. He thinks he smashes Munguia up he knows Munguia won’t land the same shots on him as he did Smith.”

“I know I am his promoter and his friend, but I am confident about the Munguia fight. I seen him live against Ali. The man is a big brute at first when I seen him I am thinking ‘that’s Ivan Drago there’, but we have studied him since and we confident. He isn’t the finished article, Smith showed him too much respect and if he was more aggressive he could have had a lot more success.”

Not keen to wait around for official mandatory status to be granted Hogan had requested his team secure him a fight before the year was out.

Defeat Weetch and Hogan challenges for a world title
Defeat Weetch and Hogan challenges for a world title

So, before he was confirmed as next in line for the Mexican and his title DDP made a fight with Australian based Welshman Jamie Weetch.

The December 15th clash is a risk as defeat would lose the Lilywhite his title shot. However, DDP remain confident their man will emerge victorious and see it as a chance to increase Hogan’s chances of winning the world title fight.

“This will be Dennis’ third fight with Glenn [Rushton],” explained Keegan.

“One more fight with Glenn before Munguia isn’t a bad thing. One more fight with the new team will be ideal going into such a huge fight. So the December fight is a positive it also keeps Dennis active and tuned up going into the world title fight. 

“I am not too worried either. Weetch is a good fighter but I think Dennis knocks him out. Dennis is hitting harder now than ever. He is on a totally different level now. He is peaking now. He is training and fighting like a 26, 27 year old. he is the fittest in the gym that’s a known fact.”

“He is so confident.”

dpg

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