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Sheffield puncher Adam Etches believes his fan base is growing so rapidly, it won’t be long until he’s topping the bill on big arena shows.
“The Bomber” challenges for his first professional title on Saturday night (April 13) when he faces tough Andrei Abramenka for the IBF youth middleweight crown. Tickets for the show were in such hot demand that all 2,000 seats at Ponds Forge were sold with more than a month to go.
And Etches believes the next step is a headline slot at Sheffield’s 12,000 capacity Motorpoint Arena.
“I’d like to think after a couple more of these type of shows, my fan base will have grown so much the Arena is the only place I can box at,” Etches, 22, said.
“It’s all about building upwards, everyone enjoying it and me doing a good job in the ring. Afterwards everything will fall into place.That said, filling Ponds Forge is something in itself. I don’t think there’s many boxers at my sort of level who’d be able to do that.”
Abramenka represents a significant step up in class for the Yorkshireman.
The Belarusian stylist has won 18 of 22 contests and has gone the full 12 round distance with former European welterweight champion Matthew Hatton and highly rated Russian prospect Aslanbek Kozaev.
Etches said: “I’ve got to be on my game because Abramenka is young, he’s hungry and he’s only lost twice on points after 20-odd fights.
“I’ve watched clips of him on Youtube and I saw him when he boxed Matthew Hatton, but I tend not to look too much into it because it’ll be a different Abramenka when he fights me.
“I’m expecting a tough fight and I’m training like it’s for a full world title.”
Also in action on Saturday will be fellow unbeaten prospects Scott Jenkins, Atif Shafiq, Sam O’Maison, Kris Davey, Leigh Wood, Josh McLaren and Andy Keates.
Saturday night’s bill is promoted by Richard Poxon in support of the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity and Cavendish Cancer Care.
