Seanie Monaghan dominates Donovan George, calls for title shot next
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Seanie Monaghan continues to bring the fans in droves and keeps on winning.
The Irish light heavyweight from Long Beach, N.Y., grinded out a 10-round unanimous decision win over Don "Da Bomb" George on Friday from the Aviator Sports & Events Center, the main event of Top Rank boxing on truTV. The tallies were 100-90, 99-91 and 100-90.
Monaghan (26-0, 16 KOs) now wants a title opportunity, and he could get one. Top Rank executive Carl Moretti told Paste BN Sports they've had talks with WBA champ Jurgen Brahmer.
"I'd love that fight," Monaghan told Paste BN Sports. "I'll travel to (Germany). Top Rank is trying to make big things happen. I'm willing to go anywhere and everywhere for a big fight. Brahmer, (Sergey) Kovalev - you give me the assignment, I'll take it."
Monaghan landed flush numerous times, but couldn't hurt George (25-5-2, 22 KOs). The partisan Monaghan crowd cheered "Sean-ie" with each Monaghan punch that connected - and there were plenty of them. George broke his surgically repaired right hand in Round 2, according to promoter Bobby Hitz, but continued to throw it, wincing in pain each time it landed.
The doctors evaluated the Chicago native, but he screamed "I'm fighting, it's just a (expletive) hand." It was a gutsy effort by an outgunned fighter, but he was never in the match.
"I have a lot of respect for Donovan George," Monaghan said. "He's a very tough guy. He took every thing I threw at him."
Monaghan said George was one of the toughest opponents he's faced, but he didn't have much trouble. George laid on the ropes time and again, but wasn't able to counter. Monaghan suffered a gash over his right eye in the third round from a clash of heads, but was unaffected. He tucked his head down, continued to plug forward and threw a jab, followed by power shots.
Monaghan applied non-stop pressure and chipped away at George. He got off first practically every time and exerted his size on the former 168-pounder, who lost to lineal champ Adonis Stevenson in 2012. George has now won just three times in his last nine bouts.
If Monaghan can't get Brahmer, Moretti says they'd like a fight with Kovalev.
"We would love to get Brahmer here at the (Madison Square) Garden, but if we have to, we'll go to Germany," Moretti said. "He wants to fight for the title. it's either Brahmer or Kovalev. We just want the chance. Based on Kovalev's last two opponents, we deserve a shot. I guarantee you we'll do better than the last two opponents (Blake Caparello and Nadjib Mohammedi).
*In the co-feature, undefeated welterweight Brad Solomon topped Ray Serrano via unanimous decision, winning by scores of 100-92, 98-92 and 97-93. Solomon (26-0, 9 KOs) says he'd like to fight the winner of Tim Bradley-Brandon Rios.