The Cycle of Change: Adam Etches Gets Back on Track After Losing Perfect Record
Adam Etches has become used to picking himself up after a fall.
Appearing at a press conference to promote Kell Brook’s IBF welterweight title defence against Kevin Bizier in Sheffield, England, on March 26, Etches—who will be in action on the undercard—sported a nasty-looking scrape on the side of his face.
"I was using the bike to get to the gym, riding away in a nice and steady fashion," he explained.
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"There was a load of rubbish in the cycle lane. I tried to avoid it, but—as it was early in the morning—it was dark.
"I didn’t see it [the rubbish] until the last minute, so I’ve turned. However, I turned onto a drain grate and ended up going straight over my handlebars."
For Etches (19-1, 16 KOs), it is not the first time he's dealt with an unplanned visit to the floor.
The middleweight's unbeaten run as a professional came to an end on March 28, 2015, when Sergey Khomitsky delivered a reality check for the 25-year-old in his own backyard.
After 18 straight wins, Etches—an excellent ticket-seller who had claimed the IBF International title at 160 pounds—was knocked out by the experienced Ukrainian in Round 4.
Caught cold by a right hand to the top of the head, the Englishman was in such a bad way that the referee quickly stopped administering the count and instead set about removing the KO'd fighter’s mouthpiece.
The punch caught Etches cold, but it should not have come as a surprise. Khomitsky—nicknamed The Ghost—has made a habit out of spooking British boxers.
He had previously recorded unexpected wins over Jamie Moore (in 2010) and Frank Buglioni (in 2013) on English soil, while in 2014 he drew with current British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell in Monaco.
With one perfectly timed blow, Etches was made to realise how quickly situations can change. He simply never saw the right hand, or a first career defeat for that matter, coming.
"I must have watched it [the Khomitsky fight] at least a hundred times. There are loads of things I could say and do to make excuses," he said.
"There were things I didn’t do right, obviously. But, so long as I learn from the situation and improve, so long as I make sure it doesn’t happen again, I’ll be fine.
"With the way I was then, if it [the defeat] didn’t happen in that fight, it would just have happened further down the line."
However, Etches has been undeterred by the setbacks, both in the ring and on the road.
He quickly returned to the saddle after the accident on his bike. He even has a new set of wheels to get around on, as his manager, Richard Poxon, revealed on Twitter:
As for his boxing career, Etches has made changes.
He has returned to the famous Ingle Gym in Wincobank, Sheffield, a place he knows well, following a previous stint working there.
Back under the guidance of head trainer Dominic Ingle, The Bomber feels revitalised: "I needed a change. I had trained there [at the Ingles' gym] for a while before and everything went well."
"I think it’s the place to be. There are a lot of good kids in the gym—it’s competitive. When that’s in place, you push each other. You spur each other on at that can bring out the best in you."
Trainer Ingle—who also works with world champion Brook—is happy to have Etches back, saying: "I think more than anything, he’s noticed a difference in himself."
"When you’re going along in life, you don’t see the mistakes. It’s only now when he looks back that he realises he didn’t make a lot of progress after leaving [our gym]."
"He was a lot sharper then. He was in better company and motivated. But, sometimes, when you’ve got people around, telling you you’re the best thing since sliced bread, you don’t always get a clear picture.
"It’s unrealistic to think you can go through an entire career unbeaten. Only one or two percent of fighters actually achieve that."
"It’s about how you come back from a defeat, and I think he will come back well from it."
Etches' most important change, however, has been in his attitude.
He admits the run of knockout wins made him complacent. He was happy to rely on his power, believing it would always be enough. It was a theory that fell down once he was caught by Khomitsky’s overhand right.
"I’ve bought a house next door to the gym, so I’m there all the time. I’ve started thinking differently," he confessed.
"Before Khomitsky, I was thinking I could just go in there and take anyone out. While I still know I’ve got the power to do that, it is no longer the first thing on my mind [to produce a knockout]."
"I'm on a learning curve. There are very few fighters who go through a career unbeaten."
"I've gone back to the drawing board, but I’ll come back bigger and better."
Etches has already made a low-key comeback, stopping the previously unbeaten Victor Jesus Rosales in July 2015.
Now, though, it is time for him to get back in the mix as a middleweight.
Scheduled to fight on the same night as gym-mate Brook at the Sheffield Arena—the same place where The Ghost knocked Etches out in 2015—offers the opportunity to exorcise a few mental demons.
While he does not yet have an opponent booked for his next bout, the plan is for Etches to challenge for some sort of title in a 10-round contest.
But, whether it’s boxing or bike riding, he now knows it is not quite as easy as he once thought.
Boosted by a return to familiar surroundings and with a better understanding of what is required to be a success at the highest levels, it is time for the keen cyclist to get his career moving again.
Rob Lancaster is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes used in the article were obtained firsthand, unless otherwise stated.
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