No Stopping Unbeaten Fury

In Belfast, Tyson Fury extended his winning sequence to 18, by stopping Martin Rogan in the fifth round, to clinch the Irish heavyweight title.

Fury surprised many people by using an unfamiliar southpaw stance during the bout against his 40-year-old opponent, who was knocked down twice before the fight was eventually stopped.

However, Fury was given something to think about in the first two rounds, when Rogan was on top and he had to respond, which he did by sending the Belfast man to the canvas for the first time in the third round. Rogan fought back well in the fourth, but Fury finished the contest in the fifth.

Although Rogan was able to beat the count after he was knocked down for a second time, his trainer stepped into the ring to end the fight. The development would have been galling for anybody who had the pugilist in the boxing betting.

Fury said after his latest victory: "I found it comfortable to be left handed in that fight. I'm a world-class heavyweight and I'm going to try different things."

Fury is currently rated eighth by the World Boxing Council. He gave up his British and Commonwealth belts, earlier this year, so that he could move closer to earning a world title shot.

He claimed the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles by beating Dereck Chisora, back in July 2011.

Since that success, Fury dispatched the American, Nicolai Firtha, in Belfast, before seeing off the previously undefeated Canadian, Neven Pajkic, in the third round, as he successfully defended his Commonwealth title.