Dennis Hogan v Jaime Munguia: Hogan ready to realise title dream
Dennis Hogan literally dreamt he beat world champion Jaime Munguia. On Sunday in Mexico he plans to become the first Queenslander to win a world boxing title on foreign soil.
Boxing/MMA
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It was sleepy time for Dennis Hogan’s 18-month old daughter Aria on Saturday as her dad’s dream world title shot finally arrived after a gruelling 30-year journey.
Little Aria and her mum Brideen escaped the Mexican sun under a canvas marquee as Hogan and world 70kg boxing champ Jaime Munguia both weighed in for Sunday’s title fight at the 17,000-seat Arena Monterrey.
Hogan says Munguia looks weight-drained and that he is unsteady on his legs like Anthony Mundine was a day before his KO loss to Jeff Horn at Suncorp Stadium in November.
The Brisbane battler is fighting to become the first Queenslander ever to win a world boxing title on foreign soil and at the official weigh-in, held at a huge Mexican fiesta in front of a beer bottling plant, Hogan jumped off the scales and immediately went on the front foot, declaring that he would be the new world champ.
Not long before he left Brisbane for Mexico, Irish-born Hogan was asleep next to Brideen at their unit in Fortitude Valley when he visualised Sunday’s bout.
Munguia came out fast, throwing haymakers but Hogan was too slippery, counterpunching with loaded shots as he darted in and out of range.
In the fourth round the big, young Mexican hit the canvas flat on his back and Hogan was standing over him with the world title belt around his waist.
The long, hard boxing road that began for Hogan at his grandfather’s gym in the Irish town of Naas 30 years ago, had finally brought him to the top of the world.
“I was lying there with my eyes closed,’’ Hogan said. “I felt so calm and peaceful. I kept saying to myself, ‘Please let this be real, please let this be real. I don’t want this just to be a dream’. Now I’m going out there to make it happen.’’
Hogan plans to jump on Munguia at the opening bell and set a fast pace, believing that Munguia’s weight-drained legs will eventually betray him.
“Munguia has all the pressure on him,’’ Hogan said. “Most of his big fights have been in America. This is the first time he has fought in Mexico as a world champion so he has a lot riding on this fight and I will be making him work every second of every round until he breaks.’’
Hogan has been boosted by the arrival of his mum Nora and brother Gareth from Ireland but he says little Aria is all the motivation he needs.
“I’m fighting for my family’s future, for Aria, Brideen and myself and to give Aria, a good comfortable life,’’ he said.
Waving a hybrid Australian/Irish flag Hogan has a small army of supporters from both countries behind him.
Six years ago he met child care worker Brideen, when she and some of her friends organised a boxing tournament among themselves for charity at Brisbane’s Irish Club. Hogan became Brideen’s trainer and they literally fell in love inside the boxing ring as he coached her to victory.
Hogan will earn close to $A500,000 on Sunday but says money has never been his motivation.
He is a huge underdog but says he doesn’t want to prove any of his critics wrong, just prove his supporters right.
The fight will be streamed live from 11am on the website epicentre.tv
TALE OF THE TAPE WBO SUPER-WELTERWEIGHT TITLE
Arena Monterrey, Mexico
JAIME MUNGUIA
Champion
Ht: 183cm
Wt: 69.8kg
Age: 22
Home: Tijuana, Mexico
Record: 32 wins, no losses (26 KOs)
Trainer: Robert Alcazar
DENNIS HOGAN
Challenger
Ht: 175cm
Wt: 69.8kg
Age: 34
Home: Brisbane
Record: 28 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw (7 KOs)
Trainer: Glenn Rushton
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