The Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali, are increasingly on the lookout for credible opposition and just like any undefeated heavyweight with all the physical attributes, Tyson Fury’s name has been mentioned on more than one occasion. Promoter Mick Hennessy insists that his charge is being groomed for an eventual tilt at either, or maybe both, of the fearsome Ukranian siblings, but Mick insists that any prospective opportunity will only occur when Tyson is ready and matured. If he gets past Martin Rogan then a fight for the European title would represent a logical next step.

“Tyson’s very highly rated with the governing bodies and a fight with the Klitschkos is there for him,” stated Mick. “He will fight them when he’s ready to take them apart and we’ll work on our own time scale that we have agreed between the team. He’ll do a job on the Klitschkos when he is ready for them. Tyson wants to do things the traditional route; he wants Irish, European and world titles.”

After much toing and froing with the BUI, the Irish title is expected be on the line when Fury meets Rogan on April 14. Even though the usual Irish title format runs with a referee scoring the bout over 10 rounds, Hennessy believes that a 12 round affair with three scoring judges could ensue and there are ongoing discussions between the respective governing bodies over what the outcome will be. Fury fought for Ireland as an amateur but his ambition to fight for the domestic crown has been fraught with difficulty as the man who recently relinquished British and Commonwealth straps struggled to tie down the requisite paperwork. That has now been resolved and battle will commence.

“I’ve been through this a million times and we can sit here all day and talk about it,” sighed the behemoth, “but my grandmother was born in Nutts Corner, my father’s from Galway and I have loads of relations in Ireland. It’s real and official and all the paperwork has been sorted. With a name like Fury I can’t be Chinese.”

Clonard warrior Rogan begs to differ and claims that the belt can only be lifted by one verifiable Irishman on April 14.

“If I’m born in Ireland then I’m not Polish,” reasoned ‘Rogie’. “I have family in America and they are Americans with an Irish background. The same with my family in New Zealand, they are of Irish descent. He’s from Manchester, Galway, Nutts Corner or whatever but after I’ve finished with him he won’t know where he’s from.”