Team Kell Brook target Dennis Hogan as perfect world title gauge

If Kell Brook performs against Mark DeLuca in his first fight since 2018 early next month he could target a summer showdown with Dennis Hogan.

Brook’s coach Dominic Ingle, son of legendary Dublin trainer Brendan Ingle, has been quite honest with regard to not knowing how much the 33-year-old has left tank and how the lay off may have effected the former welterweight world champion.

The Sheffield based trainer has been impressed with what he has seen in the gym, but will use the February 8 Sky Sports broadcast bout to gauge things further.

Even if the Matchroom fighter passes the test provided by the Murphy’s boxing fighter, who was previously linked to Craig O’Brien, Ingle believes there will still be some questions to be answered.

The Wincobank Gym man wouldn’t put his charge straight in with one of the light middleweight world champs, favouring a world level fight instead – and Dennis Hogan is one of the fighters he would target.

“Boxing is about timing especially with the age he is at you have to find your way through the mind field. We will be looking for the easiest option, that is what you have got to do and see how he measures up.

“I would like to see him fight Tony Harrison, one of the guys Charlo has beat just to see how he measures up, maybe Dennis Hogan. Lets see were he marks up to him. It could probably be made I think he needs this fight and maybe another one to see if he can jump into a world title fight because he has been out for such a long time.”

‘Hurricane’ Hogan and Brook have been linked before. Indeed the Australian based Kildare fighter turned down an offer to fight the English name in 2018.

Hogan put his world title aspirations ahead of money and made sure he secured a shot a Jaime Munguia and a fight that should have seen him reap the ultimate reward.

Brook might tempt the 34-year-old this Summer, but having suffered defeat in a second world title fight, this time fairly, at middleweight and against Jermall Charlo, Hogan is keen to secure a third major tilt.

News re a return fight is pending and if he manages a big spring win it’s quite possible he could be lining up a 154lbs world title shot, making Brook less attractive.