Contract Signed -Hogan to fight ‘Kid Shamorck’ on Katie Taylor homecoming card
Dennis Hogan [31(7)-4(2)-1] looks set for a special homecoming.
Irish-boxing.com understands ‘The Hurricane’s’ first defence of his IBO light middleweight world title will be against James Metcalf [24(15)-2(1)].
The defence will be the Australian-based fighter’s first fight in Ireland and as previously reported by Irish-boxing.com will populate the huge Taylor-Serrano 2 card on May 20.
Speaking recently Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn said the fight was nearly done and it’s believed the Kildare favourite signed the contract today.
“That is a fight that is being negotiated and you’re very likely to see that fight on the card and I think that’s almost certainly done,” said Hearn.
The vast majority of Hogan’s fights since he debuted against Marlon Toby on April Fool’s Day in 2011 have taken place in Australia. There have been world title challenges in Germany, Mexico and America over the years but Hogan has never brought his work home.
The fighter first mentioned the idea of fighting in Ireland to Irish-boxing.com back in 2014 but the chance has never arisen. Former promoters DDP did have 3Arena plans for the 36-year-old if he beat Jaime Mungia to become WBC world champion but he was robbed in Mexico. There was also talk of a fight with Spike O’Sullivan somewhere in Ireland in recent years but that never came to fruition.
Instead, Hogan fights the Liverpool native in his first bout on home soil. The son of Shea Neary, ‘Kid Shamrock’ has always been competitive at British level but suffered defeats to the likes of Ted Cheeseman and Kieron Conway. However, last year he won an international ranking title by beating Kerman Lejarraga, in Bilbao, Spain. He has since signed a Matchroom contract and called out Hogan after his last fight.
“I’ve heard Dennis Hogan [the IBO champion] says he wants to fight in Ireland, where my ancestors are from – at Croke Park on the Katie Taylor bill. I’d love that fight.
“Dennis is a proper fighter, but I don’t know if he’ll take the fight, so if you are listening, Dennis, let’s get it on. It makes sense to me.”
Gary Cully is expected to appear on the card and if back fit in time Caoimhin Agyarko is a cert for a slot, while Hearn has mentioned Thomas Carty more than once.
