A whole hearted display wasn’t enough to win Dennis Hogan the WBA light middleweight Interim title in Germany on Saturday night.

Hogan came second to current champ ‘Golden’ Jack Cuclay in a shoot out for the strap.

The Kildare native lost a 12 round decision to the 2008 Olympian via a 117-11, 119-109, 116-112 scorecard and the Inselparkhalle in Hamburg.

Hogan as promised put the pressure on from the off, but Culcay looked content to operate off the back foot and counter.

The tactic work and the home fighter landed the cleaner punches to get a decision that some argued was wide, but not wrong.

Post his first career defeat the Australian based Kildare man promised to return stronger.