By Jonny Stapleton

MARTIN Rogan claims Tyson Fury’s decision to box southpaw on Saturday night shocked him and caused him major problems.

Whilst Fury, the eventual winner via fifth round stoppage, claims the chance in stance was to protect his chin rather and a specific tactic to fool Rogan.

The Iron Man paid homage to the new Irish champions game plan and backed him to perform at the top of the heavyweight pile.

“I thought Tyson was very good and obviously came out with a better gameplan than me. I had a gameplan with Bernard and we had to switch,“ Rogan explaned.

“I didn’t think Tyson was going to come out and box southpaw. I thought it was just to confuse me for two minutes or something but then it went another round and another round and… I was like ‘what’s going on here? It was like the Audley Harrison fight for me but it all goes back to his trainers. He went in there with a gameplan and executed it better than me. And I didn’t see the punch. With Tyson coming out southpaw, we had a plan to get him moving on to his left. Then he came out and started moving to his left and I was thinking ‘what the  going on here?’ I had a game in my own head with trying to work out what he was doing with his feet. Whoever says he can’t punch – my face will tell you different. He caught me on the front of the rib. I was OK for about a tenth of a second then I was just on the deck. But that’s the way it goes – that’s boxing and I love it.”

Irish Champion, Fury claims southpaw comes as natural as orthodox to him and claims the move came in a bid to protect his sometimes dodgy chin.

The giant heavyweight says the move could be permanent as he feels as strong in the changed stance as he does leading with the left jab.

“I’ve been getting caught a lot in the past with the same right hand over the top after leaving my left hand down after the jab. So I thought for a change I’d go southpaw and leave my right left up to protect myself from those shots. Martin’s got a big right hook so by switching I got out of the way of that.I feel really relaxed as a southpaw and comfortable.

“You can’t have the same gameplan from every fight so I showed I can adapt. I just deal with my opponent. I hit him with some solid shots. It’s the ones you don’t see coming and I wasn’t loading up in my shots, I was just letting them go. When you’re trying to damage to someone it never happens. But at 6ft 9in I’d be in trouble if I couldn’t punch.”

Also See

Big Rogie to fight on?

http://www.irish-boxing.com/2012/04/big-roggie-to-fight-on/

Fury and Roggie defend Corners Decision

http://www.irish-boxing.com/2012/04/rogan-and-fury-defend-belfast-fighters-corner/

Unfinished Buisness Undercard report

http://www.irish-boxing.com/2012/04/entertaining-unfinished-buisness-undercard-wrap-up/