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Rea calls out ‘over-rated’ Hogan and wants all Irish Oz based Paddys Day bout

Joe Rea believes Dennis Hogan is more light breeze than ‘Hurricane’ and wants to fight the Australian-based Kildare man on St Patrick’s Day.

Rea, a former Prizefighter contender, who himself has relocated Down Under, contacted Irish-boxing.com to say he wants to show Hogan how ‘a real Irishman fights’.

The Ballymena native, who has Irish fighter fall out previous having enjoyed some verbal sparring with Anthony Fitzgerald, sharpened his tongue again and hit out at Hogan.

“To me Hogan is a built up Aussie prospect that got a world ranking, which means nothing to anyone outside Australia,” said Rea.

“It’s like this, if Hogan doesn’t want to fight me on Paddy’s Day and make his promoters a few quid, I only live around the corner from his gym and I can walk up there and show him how a real Irish fighter fights like.”

Hogan and his team certainly won’t feel obliged to fight Rea and will argue that a fighter without a victory since 2014 and with 26 losses on his record would represent a massive step back for a boxer who is coming off an unsuccessful WBA interim title tilt.

However, Rea argues his record doesn’t do him justice. In truth he has slipped into journeyman mode of late and has always stated that with time to train and with backing he could compete at a much higher level.

There are those who suggest his harsh words are a ploy to annoy the Australian and Oceanic champ into taking the fight, and are not out of any real dislike, but Rea remains adamant he wants to prove he is better than the World ranked star come St Patrick’s Day next year.

“Records in boxing mean nothing once the two men are in the ring,” Rea added.

“To me Hogan is a very average fighter, that doesn’t have the balls to go back to Ireland to fight because he and his team know he will be beaten. He is locked in to fight on St Patrick’s Day in Brisbane and I would like to fight him. He turned down the chance to fight me this time last year.”

irishboxing

Integral part of the Irish boxing community for over 13 years

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