Former British heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will fight Martin Rogan for the Irish title next month.
Belfast bout handed title status by Boxing Union of Ireland
Former British heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will fight for the Irish title next month.
Fury has proved his Irish ancestry to the Boxing Union or Ireland, who have duly agreed that his fight against Martin Rogan in Belfast on April 14 can be for the vacant Irish belt.
Fury revealed his cousin, middleweight Andy Lee, had helped prove his Irish roots.
He said: "Andy's father went to the Boxing Union of Ireland and signed an affidavit that my grandmother was Irish so all the talk about me being Irish or not has been put to bed.
"Fighting Martin Rogan at the Odyssey Arena was always a fight that I wanted and now for it to be confirmed for the Irish title is fantastic."
Problems
Fury beat Dereck Chisora last summer to win the British title - a belt he recently vacated - but has since failed to impress.
He added: "I had some problems that I was going through in my last two fights but this time I will be in unbelievable shape and I think everyone will be shocked by just how good I look."
Fury's promoter Mick Hennessy feels his fighter can make history in the coming months.
"Tyson has already won the English, British and Commonwealth titles. He now wants to add the Irish and European belts to his collection on route to winning a genuine world title.
"In doing this he will become the first ever boxer to do so."
Rising middleweight Chris Eubank Jr and former Commonwealth welterweight champion John O'Donnell will also appear on the undercard.
