Can Etches Bomb Out Belarussian Spoiler Khomitsky?

Adam Etches says he’ll do what Martin Murray and Frank Buglioni couldn’t and stop Sergey Khomitsky.

In a career spanning 16 years, the Belarusian has only failed to hear the final bell three times, with middleweight superstar Gennady Golovkin being the only man to legitimately take him out.

Khomitsky’s other stoppages come due to a retirement against Avtandil Khurtsidze and a mix up concerning loose tape on his gloves during his fight with former two-time world champion Robert Stieglitz.

But Etches believes he has dynamite in his fists and can add the visitor to his long line of knockout victims.

“He’s not coming to make the numbers up and just get through the fight, he’s coming to win and I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Adam, 18-0 (15 KOs), said. “I’m expecting to stop him. A lot of people probably think I’ll win on points or there’ll be an upset, but I think I hit hard enough to get him out of there eventually.

“I never go into a fight expecting to go 12 rounds. I want to take them out as soon as possible and this is no different. Obviously he’s not going to keel over easily and I have to be fit enough to go the distance if needed, but I do think I can stop him.

“My ultimate goal is to be a world champion and to get there you’ve got to be beating this kind of opponent. Everyone knows Khomitsky’s tough and he’s stopped Buglioni and drew with Nick Blackwell, but I believe I’m better than they are and I’m one of the top middleweights in Britain.”

Etches v Khomitsky features on a huge night of boxing in Sheffield as Kell Brook defends his IBF welterweight title against Romania’s Jo Jo Dan and Gavin McDonnell continues his fairy tale story challenging Ukrainian Oleksander Yegorov for the vacant European super-bantamweight title.

Frankie Gavin makes his Sky Sports return as he prepares for his crunch clash with Chris van Heerden on May 9 in Birmingham and former world bantamweight king Anselmo Moreno makes his UK debut against Wales’ Robbie Turley. Kal Yafai continues his march towards a world title and GB Podium squad member Charlie Edwards fights for the second time in the paid ranks on the bill.

Tickets are on sale priced £40, £60, £80, £100 and £150 available from the Motorpoint Arena on 0114 2565656 and at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk . VIP tickets at £250 are exclusively available from Matchroom Boxing at www.matchroomboxing.com.