The Sports Psychology Blog
This Sports Psychology blog comes as Irishman Martin Rogan, defeats odds-on favourite David Dolan, to win the inaugural Prizefighter.
Boxing: Martin Rogan - Desire!
He went into the final of Prizefighter as the underdog. Up against the fancied Commonwealth Games gold medallist David Dolan, it was presumed that Dolan's class would shine through. That the 'boxer' would outwit the 'slugger'. But that would be reckoning without one thing. Martin Rogan's desire.
Rogan had Dolan down twice in the fight. The three judges had no option but to award the Irishman the contest. He fought as if his life depended on it. This was a man who had seen an opportunity. A chance to transform his career. Change his life. Earn £25,000. Make a name for himself. And he wasn't about to let it slip through his fingers.
It was as if Rogan's need to win, desire to win, overwhelmed Dolan. Sure his fists did plenty of damage. But it was more than that. Rogan was driven by a will, a hunger, that knew such a chance wouldn't come along again. It was Martin Rogan's Rocky moment.
Martin Rogan may go on and win British and Commonwealth titles from here. But even if he doesn't, he proved that if you want something enough and are prepared to pay the price to achieve it, then it can be yours. When a man has set his heart on something, it can be very difficult to stop him. As David Dolan found out last night.
