By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
WBO #4 Dennis Hogan (25-1-1) will collide with WBO #10, IBF #6, WBC #15, WBA #14 Yuki Nonaka (31-8-3) of Japan over ten rounds on Saturday at the Exhibition and Convention Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Hogan has completed his sparring sessions and is happy with the exposure the WBO Oriental light middleweight title bout in receiving.
”Last big spar done and dusted,” said Hogan on Twitter. ”I want to thank my main sparring partner for this fight, Liam Paro. It’s amazing the amount of exposure this fight is getting from all over.”
Hogan, 32 years, was born in Kildare, Ireland and boxed successfully in the amateur ranks having over 150 “Simon Pure” contests but made his professional debut in Australia in 2011 and challenged Jack Culcay for the WBA 154 pound crown unsuccessfully in 2015. Hogan defeated Jose Miguel Berrio, Tyrone Brunson, Kenny Abril and Angel Hernandez in the USA in 2016.
The Australian-based Irishman is trained by Glenn Rushton who also trains WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn who predicts Hogan will be successful next Saturday.
Nonaka,39 years is a southpaw and is coming off a ten round stoppage of Yosuke Kirima in December 2016 to successfully defend the Japanese 154-pound title at the Edion Arena in Osaka, Japan. Other impressive victories were Ryosuke Maruke, Yuko Shimizu and Koshinmaru Saito in Japanese title fights. He was born in Hyogo but is now based in Osaka.