The Speed Bag: Rogan Test for Fury ’0′

Date: 22nd February 2012 at 10:54 am
Written by Cameron Sharpe

Tyson Fury has announced that he will travel to Belfast to fight former heavyweight Commonwealth champion Martin Rogan on April 14.

The undefeated Manchester-born fighter vacated his British and Commonwealth straps earlier this month and,despite being unable to secure a deal to fight English champion, David Price, will see this as a chance to prove himself in a hostile enviornment.

Rogan (14-2) grabbed headlines with a surprise 2008 win over former Olympic champion Audley Harrison. However, since losing his unbeaten record to Sam Sexton the following spring, the 40 year old taxi driver has only fought three times.

It has been a mixed week for Carl Froch. Despite putting himself in hot water with the British Boxing Board fo Control for apparently admitting to prolonging a 2005 Commonwealth super-middleweight title defence against Ruben Groenewald, the Nottingham born fighter has been boosted by reports that current WBA and WBC king, Andre Ward, could be about to vacate his WBC strap.

The Californian has a number of options available to him, and with a hand injury delaying his next move, the prospect of vacating his newly acquired title may not be out of the question.

Froch has already spoken about a showdown with IBF belt holder Lucian Bute in May, however the chance to fight for his old strap could be an opportunity too good to pass up.

David Haye is still being sought by German police in connection with the brawl between the former two-weight world champion and fellow Brit Dereck Chisora after the latter’s attempt at the WBC heavyweight title in Munich on Saturday.

Both Haye and Chisora have released statements expressing regret at what happened at the Olympiahalle over the weekend, with Chisora set for a BBBofC hearing on March 14.

Speculation has surrounded Haye’s intention to fight again, however the former WBA heavyweight champion informed fans via his Twitter account that he is to take a sunshine break in Las Vegas whilst trainer Adam Booth reiterated his fighter’s desire to remain retired.