A LONG-AWAITED WORLD-TITLE showdown between WBO light-middleweight champion Jaime Munguia [32-0, 26KOs] and Ireland’s Dennis Hogan [28-1-1, 7KOs] is expected to be finalised within the next week.
Hogan, 33, has been chasing beltholder Munguia, 22, for the bones of a year, but The42 understands that the Mexican’s promoters Golden Boy are due to make an offer to Hogan and his DDP promotional outfit before close-of-business on Friday.
Brisbane-based Hogan, a native of Kilcullen in Kildare, dominated Welshman Jamie Weetch over 12 rounds in December to copper-fasten his status as the mandatory challenger to Munguia’s title.
The highly-touted Mexican youngster was in action more recently, and while he too was taken the distance by Japanese challenger Takeshi Inoue last month, he looked somewhat off-colour compared to his explosive best.
A monster at 154 pounds, Munguia is expected to move up to middleweight before the year is out.
Golden Boy are expected to push for the WBO-mandated title fight to take place in Munguia’s homeland, but Hogan and his Dublin-native manager-promoter Paul Keegan of DDP will scarcely entertain the notion.
Instead, Los Angeles looks like the compromised landing spot, with the Irish side of the equation initially having eyed America’s east coast.
The Australia-based DDP, of which Keegan is CEO, have over the last 18 months have run a series of hugely successful boxing events Down Under and would consider Hogan’s adopted Brisbane as an alternative to LA.
Jeff Horn's training partner Dennis Hogan will get the chance for the WBO belt this year and he's determined to make the bout take place on his home turf. @WallyLewis9 #9News pic.twitter.com/tV1KEItR5g
— Nine News Queensland (@9NewsQueensland) February 7, 2019
The42 also understands that Golden Boy are keen to establish an ongoing relationship with Hogan and DDP regardless of the outcome of the Munguia fight.
Were Hogan to beat the man they call ‘The Beast’, a Golden Boy arrangement would likely lead to a first-ever all-Irish world-title fight between the Kildare man and Cork’s Spike O’Sullivan [29-3, 20KOs], who is co-promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s outfit.
O’Sullivan has recently joined Hogan in the light-middleweight ranks as he launches one last assault on world honours.
Even if Hogan were to lose to Munguia, it’s far from inconceivable that he would later square off with O’Sullivan in an eliminator should Munguia decide to vacate his strap and move up to his more natural weight of 160 as expected.
O’Sullivan must first see off Khiary Gray [16-4, 12KOs] in an eight-round contest at the House of Blues in Boston on what’s set to be a bumper St Patrick’s weekend for Irish boxers Stateside.
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