BOXING:Unbeaten Belfasts heavyweight Martin Rogan has secured a Commonwealth title shot against European champion Matt Skelton in Birmingham next month. The taxi driver, who beat Audley Harrison in December, will face the 41-year-old on February 28th at the National Indoor Arena.
Skelton (22-2), who unsuccessfully challenged Ruslan Chagaev for the WBA title last year, is determined to rebuild and secure another shot at global honours.
"Rogan is a dangerous fighter and I was impressed by the way in which he dug deep against Harrison," said Skelton, who only turned professional in 2002. "Anyone with an undefeated record is a threat because they don't know how to lose. But I believe I will win this fight.
"When I lost to Chagaev people asked me whether I would quit, but I feel better than ever and I think that I'm still improving.
"That fight in Germany against Chagaev showed me that I can compete at the highest level and I'm not out of place on the world scene."
Skelton pulled off an excellent victory by dethroning Paolo Vidoz in Milan before Christmas and said: "Winning the European title in Italy against an Italian surprised a few people, but it didn't surprise me because I'm always very confident in my own ability."
British Olympic middleweight gold medallist James DeGale will make his professional debut on the same night, alongside former amateur team-mates Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders.
The trio, who turned professional with leading promoter Frank Warren before Christmas, will feature on a busy card which also sees Commonwealth super-flyweight champion Don Broadhurst make the first defence of his belt on home soil against former British title-holder Andy Bell.
Broadhurst won the vacant Commonwealth title against Isaac Quaye in just his ninth professional fight in September and defends it in his native Birmingham.
"It's great to be headlining again in my home city," said Broadhurst. "The atmosphere when I beat Quaye was fantastic, and I know it is going to be so much better in front of a packed house at the NIA.
"Bell is definitely my toughest fight yet, especially as he is a former British champion. But these are the type of fighters that I have to beat if I want to become a world champion."