Adam Cope is relishing his next step on the lightweight title ladder when he aims to become England’s champion in Sheffield.
The unbeaten 27-year-old faces fellow undefeated fighter and bookies favourite Lewis Sylvester for the vacant belt on Saturday night on the undercard of Dalton Smith’s British light-welterweight defence against Sam Maxwell.
Cope has one belt in his collection already having being crowned Northern Area champion last summer at the Stadium of Light, where he outpointed Jordan Ellison over 10 rounds.
The Hartlepool crowd favourite’s dreams are of British titles, and hopefully beyond, but first he must get the better of his rival, from Hull, who has the home corner in the Matchroom event, which will be broadcast by DAZN.
“It will be great to be the English lightweight champion and hopefully there will be better titles to come after that, I don’t see why not,” said Adam, who says he’s feeling no nerves, not yet anyway.
“I’m just excited really. All the years of hard work, the training and the fights, it all comes down to Saturday.
“I’m not one to get nervous, I’m just determined to take my chance.”
It looks an absolute belter of a championship contest and a tough one to call between two in-form boxers.
Adam, a top drawer amateur from his days at Gus Robinson Developments ABC in Hartlepool, where he won national success, has tasted victory seven times since turning professional.
His one stoppage win came last time out, with a ruthless second-round triumph over Simas Volosinas at the Mayfair Centre last month.
Sylvester might not have the same amateur pedigree, but his pro career has been pretty good, winning 11 times, stopping three opponents.
Cope had a lengthy spell out of the sport while he concentrated on work and family life and feels he has come back as almost a new man at the New Welfare gym, where he is trained by former pro, Andrew Close.
“I think since I came back I’ve wanted it more,” he said of the four-year hiatus.
“I’d boxed from being 10-years-old until I had the time away from boxing.
“Since coming back it feels different, I want to do it rather than before when it was sort of inevitable that I was a boxer.
“I have a good job away from boxing so I’m not doing it for the money.
“It’s something I love doing – I look forward to going to the gym to train and love getting into the ring to fight.
“All this leads me to Sheffield and while I’m aiming to enjoy it, there is one thing on my mind and that’s to win and become English champion.”
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
