Dennis Hogan says knocking out Jamie Weetch is inevitable

WBO number one junior middleweight contender Dennis ‘Hurricane’ Hogan 27-1-1 (7) has put world-rated Jamie Weetch 12-2 (5) on notice ahead of their important clash at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in Brisbane, Australia this Saturday night.

The Queensland-based Irishman says he is out to make a statement against the Perth-based Welshman as he makes his case for a shot as fast-rising WBO 154-pound champion Jaime Munguia 31-0 (26) of Mexico.

A loss will put Hogan at the end of the queue for a world title shot, something he simply cannot afford.

But the 33-year-old married father of one says Weetch has no show and will get the shock of his life when they meet in the ring.

“He hasn’t been at this level before. He hasn’t been punched like this before. He just hasn’t seen what’s coming,” said Hogan in an exclusive interview with Maxboxing a week out from the fight.

“I know what it’s like in the later rounds. If it’s his game to come forward, forward, forward, we’re just going to have to see how that pans out for him.

“If I can’t handle what Jamie Weetch is going to bring, I’d better look to another sport. That’s how I feel about it.”

Hogan is having just his second fight for the year after defeating Jimmy Kilrain Kelly by wide points at the same venue in April.

Despite the comfortable victory Hogan admits there were things he could have done differently to improve on his performance.

“We have been constantly trying new stuff, trying to add new skills. Without giving away too much, with a lot of the stuff we’ve been working on, I really should’ve got Jimmy Kelly out of there,” said Hogan, who is trained by Glenn Rushton at the Stretton Boxing Club.

“A lot of stuff he was doing to try to nullify me and try to slow me down we have worked on utilising. I have been changing all that stuff up.

“It’s coming to me nicely now and it’s all programmed in and when I get in the ring I’ll be coming after Jamie Weetch and looking for blood.”

Although Hogan is not known as a puncher – he hasn’t scored a knockout in more than four years – he says that he can’t envision Weetch surviving until the final bell.

“I doubt it mate, to be honest,” he said. “I highly doubt it. I feel like it’s inevitable. I’m not going to go looking for it but I feel like it is going to come.”

Mexico’s hard-charging world champion Munguia, 22, has a rapid rise from obscurity this year starting when he rolled over Sadam Ali in four to claim the WBO title in May. He has since defended the world title against Liam Smith and Brandon Cook and has a third defence scheduled for January 26 when he takes on Takeshi Inoue 13-0-1 (7) of Japan in Houston, Texas.

One school of thought is that the six-foot tall Munguia is being kept busy in the gym to help keep his weight down with some experts expecting him to outgrow the division as soon as next year.

With Hogan’s stablemate Jeff Horn recently fighting a 156.5-pound catchweight bout against Anthony Mundine there has been speculation the former WBO welterweight champion will make a permanent move to the junior middleweight division.

It could put Hogan and Horn on a collision course.

“I spoke to Glenn [Rushton] and he said Jeff [Horn] may fight another champion in the division instead of going after the champion I’m mandatory for. Glenn also talked about the possibility of Jeff and I both being champions in the same division at the same time but, you know, Glenn knows my goal is to be the WBO champion,” said Hogan.

Recent comments by Horn’s promoter Dean Lonergan raised some eyebrows when he mentioned Munguia as a potential opponent for the former Brisbane schoolteacher in 2019, but Hogan insists it hasn’t caused any friction in the gym.

“I just think he’s gotten the wrong name, but I don’t worry about it too much,” he said. “I’m the mandatory for Jamie Munguia so I’m next in line. If you’re in the boxing game and worried about sticks and stones, you’re in the wrong caper.”