Sheffield boxing: New, improved Adam Etches ready to beat the odds...and John Ryder

Adam Etches won't be the slightest bit bothered if he enters the ring as the bookies' underdog on Saturday.
Adam Etches, right, determined to put on a show on the ITV4 billAdam Etches, right, determined to put on a show on the ITV4 bill
Adam Etches, right, determined to put on a show on the ITV4 bill

His own coach Dom Ingle says many will view him as being second-favourite in a 60-40 encounter, when he takes on John Ryder.

But Etches will be delighted to prove them wrong at the Olympia, London. “It’s only 60-40 because I have lost one fight - I was beaten by a fighter that Ryder beat (Siarhei Khamitski) said Etches. “Before that, I’d never lost a round as a professional and I still see myself as favourite for this one.

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“Johnny Nelson says people will always bring up my one loss because a lot of them are negative - but that defeat was a learning curve and made me a better person and a better fighter. I am bigger and taller than Ryder and have more power, so let’s see how that changes people’s view on the night.”

Etches says his preparation for Ryder has been “spot on. Super-middleweight is easier for me and, for once, there’s no big pressure to sell a place out.

“I’ve had good sparring with Craig Cunningham (who beat Anthony Ogogo in October) and Nicolie Campbell.”

Training with the Ingles has improved his defensive techniques, he says. “I’ve never been a defensive boxer, going backwards, but I’ve progressed from what I was, a ‘bull in a china shop’ who was not bothered about what was coming back at me.

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“The Ingle style is elusive but everybody has their own style and Dom doesn’t tell them to move away from that, just enhance and improve on it. If you have to grab and brawl to win...it’s whatever works for you.”

Ingle commented: “Adam is punching strong and looking good in training. Ryder is a southpaw so we have been working on that, stepping in the right direction and throwing shots off the back hand. Lee Noble went the distance with him, Kell has sparred with him so we have got a good idea what he brings and what his weakness are and we will be exploiting them.”

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