Team Hogan plotting Dublin World Title fight versus Spike O’Sullivan

Dennis Hogan [27(7)-1(0)-1] wants to bring big time boxing back to Dublin via the first ever Irish world title fight if he manages to claim the WBO light middleweight crown next year.

The Brisbane-based Kildare man has finally secured official mandatory status for the WBO world title and man mountain Jaime Munguia and his team are confident he will challenge for the strap around March time next year.

‘The Hurricane’ and his team are also very confident their charge has what it takes to defeat the massive Mexican – although they can also see a scenario where the Golden Boy fighter vacates – to join Katie Taylor, fellow Oz-based fighter TJ Doheny, and potentially Carl Frampton-if the Jackal beats Josh Warrington on December 22nd – as a reigning Irish world champs.

Achieve that goal and the 34-year-old will quickly look to fulfill another long-term dream by defending his title in the 3Arena and his team believe one Spike O’Sullivan [28 (20)-3(2)] would be the ideal opponent.

Paul Keegan of DDP Promotions admits if the Glen Rushton-trained light middle wins a title recently held by the likes of Miguel Cotto, Canelo Alvarez, Liam Smith, and Demetrius Andrade he will be under pressure to stage a 3Arena first defence and has revealed ‘Spike’ would their first choise.

“Dennis wants his first world title defence here. That has always been the dream. He always says I beat Munguia then I go to the 3Arena for my first defence,” Keegan told Irish-Boxing.com.

“I think the Spike fight would be great for that. Just imagine it. Dennis wins the world title comes home for his first defence and Spike gets the world title shot he has been looking for. You have Kildare versus Cork in the 3Arena, world title boxing back in Dublin headed up by a cracking fight. Win the world title and Dennis would be up for that.”

Keegan is confident he can produce an offer that will bring Munguia to Australia – despite the Mexican having access to major cards in America.

“If Munguia doesn’t vacate and move up I think we have the backers and sponsors that would enable us to make an offer that would tempt him to Australia. That is a stadium fight in Australia and we will make him an offer to come. Dennis would love to win the title there.”

Having changed his approach to training and his wider lifestyle, O’Sullivan has finally admitted it’s time to explore life as a light middle, something his trainer Paschal Collins has been pushing for a number of years now.

The Cork man returns to action on the Assassin Promotions TG4-broadcast ‘Homecoming’ card on December 7th and will fight at the new weight before trying to move his way into world title contention in 2019.

His Golden Boy status would appear to make the Munguia bout easy to make but Hogan will get there first, should the youngster come through a voluntary in January, and it’s now quite conceivable ‘Spike’ could secure a fight with the winner of that world title clash regardless.

Kildare boxing is proudly supported by Liffey Crane Hire