Tyson Fury clinched the Irish heavyweight title as he stopped Martin Rogan in the fifth round in Belfast on Saturday night.
Fury, who adopted an unfamiliar southpaw stance during the bout, struggled with his timing in the early stages, but eventually proved far too powerful for his 40-year-old opponent who was floored twice before the fight was waved off.
Rogan came out all guns blazing in the opener and Fury's unexpected tactics failed to unsettle the Belfast man as he rammed home right hands.
A tentative Tyson was bullied to the ropes in the second, but he at last found his range in the third and a jab followed by a straight left sent Rogan down by the ropes.
Rogan made it through to the bell and courageously fought back in the fourth, but Fury was starting to catch his rugged opponent with increasing ease and ended the contest in the next.
A left hook followed by a right forced Rogan to cover up and Fury unleashed a chopping body shot which sent his foe crumpling to the canvas.
The Belfast man was clearly in pain as he beat the count, but his trainer stepped into the ring to bring the fight to a close.
Manchester-born Fury's win improves his record to 18 without loss.
"I found it comfortable to get left handed in that fight," said Fury on Channel Five.
"I'm a world-class heavyweight and I'm going to try different things."
Promoter, Mick Hennessy is now looking for a world title fight, although only with a contender who is willing to travel to the UK or Ireland for the contest.
"Tyson is the biggest star in heavyweight boxing behind the Klitschkos," he said..
"We are going to manoeuvre him into a position where we bring the Povetkins over here and the Klitschkos. Tyson is the only man that can do this.
"He can go all the way. He can be world champion as quick as he wants," Hennessy added. "We are just going to keep him busy now. He's looking at June 3 [for his next fight].
"He's had the British, the Commonwealth and now he's got the Irish title so the European would be nice and then genuine world honours."
On the same bill, middleweight Chris Eubank Jr improved his record to 3-0 (2kos) as he stopped durable Scot Paul Allison in four rounds.
The 22-year-old impressed from the start with some classy combinations, before a strong attack in the fourth had Allison in trouble and the contest was called off.
"I went in there tonight with the intention of proving a point," Eubank told Channel Five.
"I wanted to produce an explosive performance and that's exactly what I did."
Former Commonwealth welterweight champion John O'Donnell got back to winning ways after his loss to Craig Watson for the vacant British strap by outpointing Martin Welsh over eight rounds by a 78-74 margin.
