Martin Rogan wants to put an end to Audley Harrison’s career this Saturday if the pair clash in the sold-out Betfair Prizefighter International Heavyweights III at York Hall, Bethnal Green, live on Sky Sports.
The Irishman won the first edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight-man, one night tournament five years ago and that win led to bouts against Harrison and a Commonwealth title challenge to Matt Skelton.
Having defeated Harrison in ten rounds Rogan now wants to do the same in three, putting an end to the 2000 Olympic gold medallist’s career in the process.
“Audley has been fooling himself and the British public for too long,” said Rogan. “It’s time to end him once and for all and I would love to be the man to do it. I am desperate to face him again on Saturday and I’ll beat him again and throw ‘A-Farce’ out of boxing for good.”
Rogan is hoping for a repeat of his previous Prizefighter success but expects a tougher challenge this time around with a line-up featuring Harrison, Poland’s former WBF World title holder Albert Sosnowski, German Timo Hoffmann, New Yorker Derric Rossy, American KO king Travis Walker, Dane Claus Bertino and London’s Ian Lewison.
“First of all it is a great opportunity to be here and fight in Prizefighter,” said Rogan. “Barry Hearn gave me the first opportunity and I relished it and took it with both hands.
“I think it can excel me once again up to the top. It is a great opportunity for every fighter here, it is great for boxing and it is great for the public to be able to see it.
“It is a bigger competition this time because it is International. There are guys who are way up in the rankings, some massive records there. I hope it is bigger and better for the fans more than anything and obviously bigger and better for me to go out and win it again and make history.
“When you look at the framework of boxing, I had the opportunity to fight in Prizefighter and I took that and it pushed me on to fight Harrison and Skelton, who was Commonwealth and European champion. The fact is that I had more fights and better fights.
“I don’t know how long I have got left but I will know when the time comes. I am not going to go in there to get beat up or anything else, I go out and I give my best. I love boxing, boxing has been very, very good to me and I have been absolutely brilliant to boxing. Whenever people come to watch me they get excited to watch me because they know there is only one way, to come and fight, and that is exactly what people get.
“I love the fans in England, I think the fans are absolutely brilliant. They treat you with great respect and they can’t do enough for you – it is very much like home. I love coming over here because you get a great reception.
“Bethnal Green is where it all started off, it is the birthplace of Prizefighter and I had to come over and take my baby home five years ago and I am back over to take it away again.”
To win Betfair Prizefighter International Heavyweights III Betfair bet: – 2-1 Ian Lewison, 5-2 Travis Walker, 4-1 Martin Rogan, 5-1 Albert Sosnowski, 6-1 Audley Harrison, 25-1 Derric Rossy, 33-1 Claus Bertino; Timo Hoffmann
