Will Seanie Monaghan Slug His Way To The Top Of The Light Heavyweight Division?

New York's produced more than its share of great fighters.

Hard hitting New York light heavyweight Seanie Monaghan couldn't be fighting at a better time. For the light heavyweight division is now the most exciting in all of boxing aside from the welterweight and junior welterweight realms. Long poor cousins to the middleweight and heavyweight divisions, the light heavies are now seeing themselves in the spotlight.

This is due, of course, to one Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev, who recently outgeneraled, outhit, and outclassed the great Bernard Hopkins. It also has something to do with Adonis "Superman" Stevenson, but Stevenson's seeming unwillingness to face top competition has done incredible damage to the man's reputation.

It's not easy to imagine Monaghan ducking anyone ever. The Long Beach, Long Island native is a classic Irish American fighter - straight forward, hard hitting, aggressive. Yet there may be more to Monaghan (23-0) than meets the eye. As Sky Sports' Jim Watt has claimed, Monaghan has improved to the point where he doesn't take punches like he used to. What's more, no less a luminary than Tony Bellew has given Monaghan the figurative approving nod.

While it's true Monaghan doesn't have blinding footwork, he has a solid guard and hard, thudding punches - punches that can rip up an opponent's body before almost taking off the poor guy's head. Just ask Elvis Muriqi, who was sent to the mat by a powerhouse Monaghan right last June.

What's also worth noting is the fact that Monaghan has a solid local fanbase and an extremely fan friendly style. For Monaghan attacks. His plan is simply to come forward and beat you. He may achieve that goal in a more nuanced style than he used to - but the plan is pretty straightforward

Search and destroy.

Fans love that kind of fighter. Which means Monaghan can make the people at Top Rank, which represents him, money - lots of money if he can face off against one of the division's elite. This weekend Kovalev will face the extremely talented Jean Pascal up in Canada. It's a fight boxing lovers will most certainly watch with keen interest.

Monaghans' interest level will probably be higher than most people's, however. For the man might well be looking at a future opponent.