Martin Rogan: Prizefighter winner

The old boy came through. Fitness, determination and an overwhelming will to win - Martin Rogan, 36 years young.

Adam Smith
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Age is obviously little barrier at the moment.

Last weekend was crammed with goodies from both sides of the Atlantic - and it's the older boys who are digging down and providing us with some of the best action.

We kicked off in Bethnal Green with the new concept, Prizefighter. There were plenty of sceptics, but it turned out to be a rip-roaring triumph. Barry Hearn was delighted, and the fact that his rival Frank Maloney was ringside and told Barry what a great success it was speaks volumes! These battle-hardened promoters rarely do that.

Some predicted the big boys would hold and maul, and that there would be little excitement. But what we got were quick-fire tear-ups. The format of 3x3 minutes rounds to find the last man standing really worked, credit goes to all the boxers for grabbing the moment. Everybody I spoke to, including the initial doubters, enjoyed it, and there is bound to be a Prizefighter series - maybe involving other weights too.

These eight heavyweights are no world beaters. They were not even the very best in Britain. But they had trained hard and they craved their 15 minutes of fame and, of course, the huge £25,000 cheque.

A mini war kicked the night off as David Ferguson and Billy Bessey went out all guns blazing. Martin Rogan then tore through Alex Ibbs. It was lovely seeing the two chatting backstage after Rogan had knocked Ibbs out. There was genuine respect between all the fighters.

Colin Kenna was stunned and stopped by Paul Butlin, while man mountain Darren Morgan couldn't quite knock out the classy little favourite David Dolan.

Rogan was too much for Ferguson in the semis; Dolan for Butlin; and talk about saving the best for last - Rogan and Dolan gave us a memorable gun-slinging finale to what was a cracking show.

And the old boy came through. Fitness, determination and an overwhelming will to win - Martin Rogan, 36 years young.

Magic Margarito

If Rogan's one of our hardest domestic men, the most steely fighter at world level must be the 30-year-old Antonio Margarito. Performance of the weekend came from the hugely underrated Mexican who was crowned world Welterweight champion all over again with a sensational repeat stoppage win over the tall, powerful Kermit Cintron.

Margarito just has a way of drawing his opponents in, unloading shots, and seems to be chiselled from granite! After an exciting, brutal fight, Margarito broke Cintron with a superb body shot in the sixth round.

He looks set for a sizzling summer showdown with the fabulous Miguel Cotto. The Puerto Rican hardly had to get out of secnd gear as he totally outclassed the Contender star Alfonso Gomez. After five rounds, enough was enough and the ringside doctor and referee brought a halt to the carnage.

My colleague Jon Beloff believes Margarito could well upset Cotto - and after that win over Cintron, he will indeed take some stopping. He certainly can put in a claim to being a marquee fighter at last. After chipping away for so long, Margarito's in his 15th year as a pro and is as grizzled as they come.

So too Glen Johnson, who's in his 16th year. The Road Warrior's now 39 and still in World Championship wars. He seemed desperately unlucky not to get the decision over the unbeaten Chad Dawson in Florida but will surely keep battling on.

Goodfellas

Meanwhile Antonio Tarver, who turns 40 this year, proved far too good for Britain's long-serving Clinton Woods, who lost his World Light Heavyweight crown after reigning for more than three years. Woods turns 36 next month and is now thinking seriously about his future.

The Sheffield stalwart has had a magnificent career. Few thought he'd win anything in the game. He proved everyone wrong. From Central Area to British to Commonwealth to European to world titles - amazing. And if you do call it a day, Clinton, thank you for your honesty, determination and enormous class both in and out of the ring. One of boxing's really good guys.

Clinton must have been deeply upset during his build-up to hear of the loss of stablemate Scott Brookes, who tragically died after being involved in a car accident at only 20.

Sad news too that at 63, legendary announcer Michael Buffer is fighting off cancerous tumours of the throat and neck. He is, however, doing well and is sure to get a very warm welcome back to the ring in Las Vegas for the major Joe Calzaghe-Bernard Hopkins clash this weekend.

Incredibly Hopkins is now 43 and still looks in fabulous condition. When we filmed him running a while back in Miami at 4:45 am, it meant 4:45 am. Hopkins' longevity comes down to the way he looks after himself. When in training, it's lights out at 9pm and he never ever drinks or smokes. Father Time may not catch up with him but I expect Joe's own fitness and speed to.

At 36, Calzaghe's no spring chicken himself but I have long championed the multi-talented Welshman as - maybe Lennox Lewis apart - the best natural fighter to come from our shores for the last 30 years. That class should give Calzaghe a famous victory. But he'll almost certainly have to go the distance to do it.

Spicy encounter

This Friday Fight Night it's a blast from the past, as the former 'Spice Boy' Ryan Rhodes attempts to regain the British Light-Middleweight crown that he held way back in 1996-997. Rhodes has had his ups and downs but has always kept himself in tip-top shape - so important.

The Sheffield switch-hitter was a product of the famous Wincobank stable that gave us Herol Graham, Naseem Hamed and our very own Johnny Nelson. Incredibly Rhodes is still just 31.

His task is to dismantle Gary 'Hot Stuff' Woolcombe, who, at 25, will be extremely confident of retaining the Lonsdale belt he won just before Christmas against Marcus Portman.

Woolcombe's promoter, Frank Maloney, calls it a genuine 50-50 fight that he thinks will be hard for his champion. Me too - York Hall will see a third entertaining Friday Fight Night in a row. And I think Rhodes' skills will undo the strong but upright Woolcombe.

Finally in the news are other 'old campaigners'. Shane Mosley, at 36, has been installed the 6-1 on favourite to defeat Zab Judah who is 6 years younger... and pretty good!

Meanwhile world Lightweight king Nate Campbell's also 36 and already a grandfather. Campbell says he will "expose" Amir Khan, who's just 21.

Who says Father Time catches up with us...?