New coach will be Dennis Hogan’s “downfall” suggests Jamie Weetch’s Dublin manager

Ireland’s only ever minimumweight fighter is putting maximum effort into plotting the downfall of Dennis Hogan this weekend.

Anto Connolly is forging a reputation for himself as a manager Down Under and goes into the weekend as possibly the only Irishman not related to Jamie Weetch – the Welsh fighter’s wife is from the West – hoping for a ‘Hurricane’ defeat.

The Australia-based Clondalkin native and one-time pro fighter secured a fight for Weetch against his ‘The Hurricane’ and is hoping his charge can break Irish hearts by ruining Hogan’s world title hopes this weekend – and Connolly does so with a clear conscience.

“Not really,” he tells Irish-boxing.com when asked if it’s strange to be hoping for defeat for a fellow countryman.

“Realistically this happens all the time in boxing,” he adds with regard to a situation fellow Paul Keegan who promotes this weekend’s action may find himself in as he tries to maneuver Dee Dee Hobbs toward a fight with Katie Taylor.

Like Weetch has been during all his media obligations this week, Connolly is confident the Welsh fighter can ruin Hogan’s hopes of challenging Jaime Munguia for the WBO light middleweight world title.

Strangely enough, the Dubliner points to Glenn Rushton, a coach Team Hogan believe has moved the Kildare fighter to the next level, could prove the weakness in Brisbane this Saturday afternoon.

“If I’m being honest, I believe that the style Dennis has acquired under his new coach will be Dennis’s downfall in this fight,” predicted Connolly.

“I believe Dennis will know he has to change it up but he’ll go back to a coach who will send him out to do same thing round after round, just like he did with Jeff Horn against Crawford, no plan B,” he adds boldly before discussing his own fighter’s future.

“Weetchy is a pleasure to work with, my first fighter so we’re obviously quite close and when he wins there’ll be plenty of options. We’ll assess them and make the best choice for Jamie’s career.”

While Saturday is a big weekend for Irishmen in both camps, Connolly has other irons in the fire and believes he is developing a nice stable of fighters in Oz.

“For me I just try give some good lads some good advice. I don’t think of this weekend as a big chance for me. I’m confident in my ability as a manager. I have two lads who are eligible to be world rated and they are so for me that tells its own story.”

“I’m loving management as I said I just try give some good lads good advice, I look after six fighters now obviously Jamie, who is IBF # 15, Wes Capper a middleweight with an IBF #12 ranking and Floyd Masson, who is a good cruiser prospect originally from New Zealand.”

“Then there is Jacob Aantoro, Fano Kori, and Adrian Faraquar who incidentally has his Irish passport now and debuts on the ‘All or Nothing’ card this weekend.”