By Brendan Galbraith – Today, at the Victoria Square Mall in Belfast Martin Rogan and Sam Sexton were present for an open media work out. First up was the Belfast man, who spent the late morning facilitating the media with non-stop interviews and in between taking time to pose for pictures with fans. Sam Sexton and his trainer, Graham Everett, who flew into Belfast this morning, arrived shortly after Rogan had departed. Sexton quickly got down to business by attending to his own hand wraps. As Sexton stepped into the ring to do some pad work with his trainer Graham Everett; MC Harry McGavock, announced the Commonwealth Champion to the waiting crowd. Unlike, the last time Sexton was introduced to a Belfast crowd, the several hundred shoppers and lunchtime workers who had lined the balconies of the four floors surrounding the ring in the impressive Victoria Square setting, gave Sexton a warm round of applause.
In attendance at today’s open media work-out was former British Flyweight Champion Hugh Russell, and current Irish Cruiserweight Champion, Darren Corbett.
Darren Corbett is perhaps, better placed than most to offer a perspective on the Rogan-Sexton match. Corbett assisted Sexton with his training for the first Rogan fight – spending a week and half at Sexton’s camp and clocking up 40 rounds in sparring as well as returning for a week to assist Sexton for the re-match. And Corbett has some high praise for “fitness fanatic” Sexton:
“Sam Sexton, as a boxer, he is the best boxing heavyweight in Britain at the minute – he is good on his feet, has fast hands and he is very agile, he has a good chin – he is not a tremendous puncher – but he is a good hurtful puncher.”
“Sexton has very fast hands, if you have seen him hitting the pads today [during the open work-out] you will see that he is very, very sharp. When we sparred he was catching me with some good shots, so if he was catching me he is going to catch Rogan every time”.
In particular, Corbett enthuses that Sexton’s right uppercut is a punch that would floor any heavyweight in the world.
“I remember he hit me with some good right hands, if you see the uppercut that he throws – he can crack a right uppercut and I think Rogan comes in with the head down low and that could be the sucker punch”
So who does Corbett think will win the rematch? Can Rogan win?
“Only if Rogan bullies him – maybe Sexton could fall apart? But my money would be on Sexton if I was going to have a bet on it”
“Rogan definitely hasn’t got the boxing skill to outbox Sexton – but he might have the roughness, I don’t know what way Paul’s[Paul McCullough is Rogan’s new trainer and has trained Darren Corbett] training him. He will increase Rogan’s strength for starters and help him throw better body shots. But it is all on the night – who is the better man on the night. Me, personally, I think Sexton is the better man.”
And, how does Corbett feel Sexton will deal with the volatile crowd this time?
“He was standing in the tunnel and he thought it was going to come in on top of him, when he walked into the ring, they spat all over him, they called him everything, they called his mother, his father, himself – everything. This time around it will be different. He is coming as champion and he knows what to expect
Finally, Corbett cleared up speculation on his own boxing career. Is he retired?
“I am definitely not retired. I am still the Irish Cruiserweight Champion and hopefully I will get one or two events in. [More on this to follow].”
Unfortunately, due to my late attendance at the open media work-out today [half-way through Martin Rogan’s appearance] I was unable to get a chat with Martin, but I did get a few minutes with his opponent, and I began by asking Sexton how his camp had gone:
“This camp has been the best camp that I have ever had, everything has been great, and even with the 4 week delay, it has just given me more time to get into even better shape”
Who have you worked with in sparring for the rematch?
Without giving too much away, Darren helped me out and as Michael Sprott pulled out of Prizefighter I was able to do some sparring with Michael Sprott.
What are you expecting from Rogan this time?
“I am not sure how Rogan will come out for this time, we have prepared well for all possibilities and I can adapt on the night. I am prepared if Rogan comes at me fast early or if he comes to box then I will be ready for that too.”
Any predictions on the outcome?
“I would love the stoppage, as anyone would, but without tempting fate I am just saying a win is going to be there, I will not be going out looking for a KO, but if it comes it comes, but I am definitely feeling much stronger than I was the last time and I could see the punches were rocking him the last time”
Do you think that the first experience in front of a hostile crowd will stand you in good stead for the second fight?
“Definitely. You expect a hostile atmosphere if you go into anyone’s hometown and it was a bit worse than I thought, but this time I will know what to expect”.
Undoubtedly, Sexton deserves credit for coming back into the lions den and watching him throw his quick and sharp combos on the pads today during his pad work, he certainly looks in top shape. So too, does Rogan. He looked lean and in great condition at his recent appearance on the Buncelive show in the Dockers Club a few weeks ago and today was no different. The rematch is delicately poised and despite what the bookies say [Paddy Power have Rogan as a 4/11 favourite], I have got this one as an intriguing 50-50 fight. On paper, this one has all of the ingredients for an exciting fight, potentially, a contender for fight of the year. Roll on Friday.
Rogan-Sexton II will be at The Odyssey Arena in Belfast on Friday 6th November 2009. Also, on an impressive undercard is Neil Sinclair and Alex Arthur, Kevin O’Hara, Joe Rea, Jamie Conlan (making his professional debut), Luke Wilton and Ciaran Healy.
Tickets: price categories £30, £40, £60, £100 and £150 are available from:
Odyssey Arena Box Office
02890 739 074
www.odysseyarena.com
Ticketmaster 0870 243 4455 www.ticketmaster.ie
Frank Warren Promotions 01992 550 888 www.frankwarren.tv