Tim Tszyu v Dennis Hogan: Hogan opens up about his pop and giving up drinking
Dennis Hogan wasn’t always the disciplined champ he’s become, and a tattoo serves as a constant reminder of the sacrifices he has to make to reach the top.
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Dennis Hogan is approaching the 10th anniversary of his decision to give booze the boot, after a personal tragedy that shaped the world-title dream he refuses to let evaporate.
The timing of the milestone could not be more appropriate as Hogan steels himself for Wednesday night’s super welterweight showdown with Tim Tszyu that could make or break the ‘Hurricane’ once and for all.
Stung by world-title defeats in his last two fights, there is a sense Hogan has arrived at the last-chance saloon. Three weeks ago, he turned 36. Time is ticking to win a world title. A third straight loss and Hogan is all but toast. A comprehensive mauling of Tszyu, however, and the Ireland-born Hogan is back in business.
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By rights, this moment of reckoning, the ultimate examination of Hogan’s pugilistic hunger, can be traced to a life decision he made a decade ago.
Like any Irishman, Hogan loved a drink. Throw in a backpacking expedition to Australia in his early-20s, and the life of alcoholic excess was hardly the best cocktail for a man who had visions of conquering the boxing world.
A lacklustre draw in his third professional fight against debutant Edmund Eramiha in Melbourne in 2011 was akin to a knockout punch for Hogan. The wake-up call had arrived. Training brutality would replace booze. A decade of dedication has primed Hogan for his moment of truth with Tszyu in Newcastle.
“It was 10 years ago now that I made a decision I had to make some changes if I wanted to win a world title,” Hogan says.
“I had been in Australia about eight months and I was playing up quite a bit on the drink.
“It was part of my cultural upbringing. In Ireland, you’re meeting friends and you aren’t meeting for a coffee, you’re catching up at the pub for a pint.
“I was way too heavy. I was carrying too much weight as a boxer. That whole mindset was affecting me so I had to give alcohol away.
“I am so much more disciplined now.
“All that energy of youth is out of my system. I might have a drink or two at the right time but the days of always playing up on the booze are over.
“Whenever there was an option to go out partying, I thought is this what a world champion would do right now. That’s how I have lived my life for the past 10 years.”
The turning point was inspired by the tragic death of his grandfather Paddy Burke, who lost a long-battle with emphysema just months before Hogan’s third pro fight.
Paddy had puffed away for 62 years, showing the Irish fighting spirit that drives the career of his grandson (28-3-1, 7KO).
“His last phone call to me, he got on the phone, he knew that I had been drinking,” Hogan recalls.
“His last words were give up that drink son, and give it everything you’ve got. Then he passed the phone to my mum.
“He had emphysema, he was tough with that. He kept getting pneumonia and that got him in the end. He smoked all his life. All his life. He started smoking at 14 until the age of 76. Even when he got sick in his 60s, he wouldn’t stop smoking.
“He was working on half a lung for the last decade of his life. He was pronounced dead 10 years earlier actually.
“He collapsed on holiday in Spain and turned blue. We thought he was gone, but he came back to life and lived for another 10 years.
“When he did pass away, I said right, it’s time to give it everything I’ve got. I have a portrait of him and his words tattooed on my heart.
“He had that fighting Irish spirit that lives on in me.”
In a metaphorical sense, Hogan hopes to rise from the canvas like his pop Paddy. After failed world-title bids in his last two fights against Jaime Munguia and Jermall Charlo, the Brisbane-based Hogan knows he must stop Tszyu.
“I don’t know how anyone can doubt my Irish spirit,” he said.
“Look at what we do in sport and who we are as people. You can never write off the Irish blood, ever.
“I’m a pro of 10 years, he is a pro of three. I’ve fought for world titles. Tim hasn’t. He will be surprised by my hunger and experience.
“I will do whatever it takes to beat Tim.”
Hard facts: ‘Fleabag’ Hogan not in same league as Tszyu
— Peter Badel
Too big. Too sharp. Too strong. Unbeaten Tim Tszyu will knockout Dennis Hogan within six rounds and continue his irrepressible surge towards a world title.
That is the opinion of Australian middleweight champion Isaac Hardman, whose personal sparring sessions with both Tszyu and Hogan have told him the son of Kostya will “belt” the Irish ‘Hurricane’ into retirement.
Having conquered Jeff Horn, Tszyu (17-0, 13KO) is eyeing another major Australian scalp when he squares off against Hogan (28-3-1, 7KO) in Wednesday night’s super welterweight showdown in Newcastle.
As is the way in the fight game, the build-up has featured the usual histrionics, with Tszyu vowing to end the career of Hogan, who hit back by suggesting the 26-year-old is overhyped.
The 36-year-old Hogan has suffered crushing back-to-back defeats in his past two world title fights against Jaime Munguia and Jermall Charlo and a third straight loss to Tszyu will leave his career in tatters.
Over the past 18 months, Hardman (8-0, 6KO) has worked up a sweat in training with both men and ‘The Headsplitter’ declared Tszyu will chalk up an 18th consecutive win by sending Hogan crashing to the canvas.
“Tim Tszyu is going to belt Dennis Hogan,” Hardman said.
“The reality is I’ve sparred with both of them and Tim will finish Dennis within six rounds.
“Tim will simply be too big and too strong.”
In recent months, Hardman and Hogan have been at loggerheads with the pair attacking each other on social media.
The seeds of discontent were sown in sparring, with Hogan allegedly taking umbrage at Hardman going too hard at him in preparations for his most recent fight, a seventh-round loss to Charlo in December 2019.
Putting aside any differences, The Headsplitter claims Tszyu is a class above Hogan.
“It’s fair to say I don’t like Dennis, he’s a fleabag and I’ve told him that, but in boxing terms he’s not in the same league as Tim,” Hardman said.
“The truth is Dennis went 12 rounds against Jamie Weetch and I knocked out Weetch in one minute in the first round.
“I was initially a little nervous getting in the ring with Dennis (in sparring) because he had fought for a world title (against Munguia), but once we were in there, he had no presence or power in his punches.
“When Tim came into the ring (for sparring), I was a bit naive about how strong he was.
“He fights a division below me and I thought I would push him around, but he shocked me with how strong and physical he was.
“I quickly realised I wasn’t able to dominate him, he controlled the ring really well and when he hits, he doesn’t miss.
“Tim is big and engulfs the ring. It feels very small in there with him, whereas with Dennis, he is too busy flapping around and moving around like a chicken with his head cut off.
“Dennis deserves credit for his fight against Munguia. I reckon he was robbed that night in Mexico but when he faced Charlo, he got put away easily and the same will happen to him with Tim.”
While Horn has questioned Tszyu’s world-title credentials, Hardman believes the Sydneysider with Russian blood will climb the summit.
“Tim is good enough to win a world title,” he said.
“I believe it’s only a matter of time before he does it.
“Tim doesn’t need to ride off his father’s surname. He will go all the way himself.”
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