TYSON Fury says winning the Irish heavyweight title will be like standing on the Olympic podium with a gold medal around his neck.
Fury meets Belfast hard man Rogan for the vacant Irish title at the Odyssey Arena on April 14 four years on from being denied the opportunity to box for Ireland at the Olympics in Beijing.
The Titanic battle between Fury and Rogan, proudly presented by Hennessy Sports, will be broadcast live on Channel 5.
The undefeated former British and Commonwealth heavyweight is determined to show he is a true Irish warrior by knocking out Rogan and then going on to win the World heavyweight title.
The pain of missing out on the Olympics still hurts Fury but he says winning the Irish title will help to ease that pain.
“When I knock out Rogan and get that Irish title around my waist it will be like me winning the gold medal at the Olympics. To win the title in the year of London 2012 will be very special,” commented Fury.
“I always knew I was Irish and now everybody knows that those who prevented me from boxing for Ireland at the Olympics in Beijing denied Ireland an Olympic heavyweight gold medalist.
“It hurt me deeply not being able to fight for Ireland at the Olympics and to win this Irish title will be just fantastic. I don’t care about Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko, those guys can wait because winning the Irish heavyweight championship in Belfast means everything to me.
“Wee Rogie is going to give it everything and I hope he has been training hard because I am going to be in the shape of my life. It’s going to be a painful night for wee Rogie.
“I have locked myself away like never before to make sure that I am ready to show the Irish people how good I am and how much it means to be Irish champion.”
Joining Tyson Fury, Martin Rogan will be middleweight sensation Chris Eubank Jr from Brighton, Former Commonwealth Champion Irishman John O’Donnell, Belfast fighters Jamie Conlan, Dee Walsh, Darren Corbett, Tommy Tolan, Ciaran Healy, Marc Mccullough, Conall Carmichael, Moses Matovu and County Mayo’s Michael Sweeney.
