Adam Etches has taken inspiration from his promoter Ricky Hatton as he prepares for Saturday’s clash with danger man Sergey Khomitsky.

The unbeaten 24-year-old is one of the rising prospects in the middleweight division and will be targeting a 19th straight win against Khomitsky on the Kell Brook-Jo Jo Dan bill in Sheffield, live on Sky Sports.

Watching on from ringside will be Hatton, a guiding influence throughout his fledgling career, and Etches admits he is lifted by the presence of the former two-weight world champion.

“When I first turned professional, he was my idol, my hero,” Etches told Sky Sports. “Three or four years later he’s promoting my fights.

“It’s good to have him on side. His experience is valuable and he’s a nice, genuine bloke.

“I’m not saying I will ever emulate what Ricky has done, but I’ll certainly be giving it my best shot.

“Even if I could get 10 per cent of what he did, it will still be amazing, because his fan base was unreal and that’s what I want. I want everyone to be behind me.”

Blocking his path to titles will be the rugged Belarusian, who sent Jamie Moore into retirement and dished out a first defeat to upcoming Londoner Frank Buglioni.

But Etches is far from overawed by the challenge ahead and hopes to become only the second man to properly halt Khomitsky.

“He’s only been legitimately stopped once and that was against Gennady Golovkin,” said Etches. “I don’t need to say anything about him really. Everyone knows what a machine he is.

“I think I’m the top British middleweight and on Saturday I want to prove that.

“Sergey Khomitsky has been in with everyone. He came close against Martin Murray twice. He knocked out Frank Buglioni, knocked out Jamie Moore.

“On Saturday, people will sit up and take note hopefully.”

A destructive puncher with 15 stoppages in 18 wins, Etches has shown a softer side away from the ring as one of the ambassadors for the Teenage Cancer Unit at Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield.

He has already carried out a variety of fundraising activities and even donates money from one of his fights every year to the charity.

“I’ve done the Sheffield half-marathon, a 95-mile bike ride. I’ve got a sky dive booked in for the summer. Basically anything I can do to help them along the way and raise a few quid.

“They were overwhelmed by what I had done for them and made me an ambassador.

“I don’t do it for that reason. I do it because I like doing it and I’m going to continue. I’ve got the logo on my shorts, so hopefully everyone will see it and maybe raise a few more pounds for them in the near future.”