BOXING: Belfast heavyweight Martin Rogan continued his remarkable rise to prominence by handing Matt Skelton the first stoppage defeat of his career and claiming the Commonwealth title at Birmingham last night.
The unbeaten Rogan launched a stunning late assault to bring a juddering contest to an end, sending Skelton sprawling to the canvas with a right hand in the 11th before referee John Keane pounced to end the contest at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena.
It was an astonishing result for the Belfast taxi driver in only his 12th professional fight as he swapped savage blows with Skelton in a real fight of the year contender which could have gone either way.
And when referee Keane jumped in to end the fight after one minute and 21 seconds of the penultimate round with Skelton sagging in a neutral corner, it sparked jubilant celebrations in the Rogan corner.
The first two rounds suggested little of the excitement that was to follow, before Skelton woke up in round three with a pair of crunching right hands to give Rogan a taste of what was to come.
The rock-hard Belfast man, who had earned his shot by beating Audley Harrison in December, soon came back for more, landing a strong right-hand at the start of round four, but Skelton responded with big right hands.
Rogan rocked Skelton early in the fifth with a right hand in a fight which, against all expectations, was turning into a cracking brawl. Skelton ended the round badly cut around his left eye.
Rogan certainly had the momentum, jolting Skelton with two more excellent rights in round seven, and looked on the verge of a stunning stoppage win in the eighth when he clattered shots into a defenceless Skelton on the ropes.
But Skelton recovered to barge Rogan back with two wide hooks as the momentum see-sawed savagely from one man to the other.
The pace inevitably slackened but the heavy blows continued, Skelton rocking his opponent with an uppercut before amazingly taking the final few seconds of the ninth round off to blow his nose, oblivious to Skelton’s continuing assault.
Skelton’s nose was bloodied by a jab in round 10 but Rogan seemed to be tiring most until a stunning right hand sent the Bedford man sprawling across the ring in the 11th and crashing to the canvas.
Keane had a close look at Skelton who rose at the count of eight and moments after the re-start Rogan poured across the ring and cracked Skelton’s head back to force the end of the contest.