Martin Rogan added to the Frampton-Martinez fight on February 9th

By Scott Gilfoid: 41-year-old heavyweight Martin Rogan (14-3, 7 KO’s) has been added to the Carl Frampton vs. Kiko Martinez fight card on February 9th at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Rogan hasn’t fought since losing to Tyson Fury by a 5th round knockout last year in April. Rogan still doesn’t have an opponent yet, but I’m not expecting anyone with a pulse. Someone will be dragged out for him to beat up I suppose.

Fury toyed with Rogan, fighting the entire fight from the southpaw stance to capture the vacant Irish heavyweight title. Rogan hasn’t beaten a decent domestic level fighter since defeating Matt Skelton and Audley Harrison back in 2009 and 2008. I’m not talking about quality world class opposition, because Rogan has never done that. I’m talking local level opposition and it’s been ages since Rogan beat any of those guys.

I guess he brings something to the card in terms of name recognition but I’m not so certain what he can actually do. Unless they match him again someone beatable, like perhaps a 3rd tier fighter, I don’t think Rogan can win.

Also on the card is middleweight Andy Lee facing Anthony Fitzgerald, featherweight Lee Selby battling Martin Lindsay and super flyweight Yaqub Kareem taking on Jamie Conlan.

The Frampton vs. Martinez fight will be a decent one because Martinez, the EBU super bantamweight champion, can fight a little. He’s decent but not great. If you threw either Martinez or Frampton in with the top super bantamweights like Abner Mares, Guillermo Rigondeaux and Nonito Donaire, they’d both get knocked out quickly. There’s a big jump from Euro level fighters like Martinez and Frampton to the world class level where you’re expected to have some talent.

Martinez should win this fight. Frampton isn’t a big puncher and he’s easy to hit. I think Frampton may choose to box once he gets hit hard and we could see him try to take it to the cards where he might be able to win a fight that way. This is a hometown fight for him, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some controversy here.