NEWLY crowned IBO light-middleweight champion Denis Hogan has offered Conor McGregor his first title defence and the chance of a spectacular ‘homecoming’.
Hogan won the IBO belt on Saturday versus Sam Eggington in Australia, his fourth attempt at a world title.
The 37-year-old fought for the WBA interim strap at 154lb, the WBO title at the same weight and the WBC up at 160lb.
None of those contests ended with his hand being raised at the end of the contest.
The WBO defeat in 2019 — to Jaime Munguia — was especially painful, given fans and pundits around the world felt the Kildare native did more than enough to earn the victory in Mexico.
Speaking before his win, Hogan said he was already eyeing a homecoming bout against MMA superstar Conor McGregor as the crescendo to his real life Rocky story.
Hogan said: If I win, the first thing I will do is get in touch with [Coach Kavanagh] and say ‘Is there any chance Conor may want this?’
“I would love to go back to Ireland and have a title defence there.”
Hogan has been based in Australia for his entire professional career and has fought the majority of his bouts Down Under, as well as the US and Mexico.
The Kildare native last fought in Europe in 2015, where he lost the WBA interim-title bout.
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Hogan says he is due a fight on home soil and says his first title defence is the perfect opportunity for a spectacular homecoming.
“I am due a homecoming, I haven’t fought in Ireland since my amateur days, so it would be great to go back there and defend my title.”
Prior to his win, Hogan’s management claimed to have already discussed the sensational homecoming with McGregor’s team.
Despite being out of action since his gruesome leg last year, McGregor has no shortage of suitors for his return to fighting.
The Crumlin native is currently on set for the upcoming film Road House with Jake Gyllenhaal and looks most likely to return to the octagon.
However, the opportunity to fight for a boxing world title may pique the interest of the former two-weight UFC champion.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
