RICKY HATTON is predicting a top class performance from Sheffield middleweight Adam Etches at the Ponds Forge Arena this Saturday (April 26).
Etches, 23, vies to win his third professional title when he takes on tough Mexican Felipe De La Paz Teniente for the WBC Youth title and ‘The Hitman’ is expecting sparks to fly.
“Adam is one of the country’s biggest ticket sellers and is fast gaining a reputation as one the country’s biggest punching and most exciting prospects,” Hatton said.
“I’ve said before that he hits more like a light-heavyweight than a middleweight, but some of his recent opponents have gone down like they’ve been hit by a heavyweight.
“He’s boxing a Mexican, which is never easy. They breed them tough over there, as I know from when I fought Jose Luis Castillo and Juan Lazcano, but I expect him to come through this with flying colours.”
Etches will potentially look towards a British title fight should he come through this next fight, but Hatton believes he has the potential to go much further.
“Adam has had a perfect build up to this point and has shown massive improvement,” he said.
“I’m about to let him off the leash in the near future and see how he fairs with the best middleweights on the domestic scene so fans will get a glimpse of what’s in store from this power punching middleweight.
“He’s already shown the potential he’s got and the hardest thing going forwards will be getting him the right fights.
“Adam didn’t have many amateur fights and he was a little bit raw when he first turned over, but he’s come on very nicely in the past couple of years and I think the sky’s the limit.”
This Saturday’s show is headlined by Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne’s vacant Commonwealth title clash with Canada’s Eric Martel Bahoeli and also features Sheffield’s Adam Etches taking on Mexico’s Felipe De La Paz Teniente for the vacant WBC youth middleweight crown as well as a European bantamweight clash between Karim Guerfi and mandatory challenger Zhanat Zhakiyanov.
Also starring will be Ricky Hatton-trained prospects Adam Little and Kirill Relikh as well as Scott Jenkins, Leo D’Erlanger, Kash Ali and Dave Howe.
Ticket prices are priced at £35 (General Admission), £55 (Reserved Floor Seats), £75 (Ringside) and £100 (VIP Ringside). They can be purchased from 07747 474701.
