Nathan Gorman will have to conquer a giant when he appears on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s eagerly anticipated rematch with Wladimir Klitshchko in Manchester next month.
The Ricky Hatton-trained teenager will square off with Sheffield’s 6ft 8in tall Dave Howe and he knows he has a huge task on his hands.
As well as towering over Gorman, Howe also has the greater experience in the ring, having scored 11 professional victories against just two defeats.
But Gorman is relishing the challenge and feels he has the tools to impress once more in front of what will be a huge crowd.
“This is a big step up for me but it’s something I’m more than ready for. I know I’ve only had four pro fights, but I’ve won them pretty comfortably so it’s time for a bigger test,” Gorman, 19, said.
“I can’t say I’ve seen Dave Howe box. What I do know is he’s very tall at 6ft 8ins and has decent power. His record suggests he’s a good fighter so I know I have to be ready for everything he throws at me.
“It looks like he might not have the strongest whiskers, though, as both his defeats have come by knockout, but I can’t read too much into that. I have to prepare for the best opponent possible.
“Of course, I would love to knock him out and I believe I have the power to do it. I believe I can knock out any heavyweight if I land cleanly and that’s what I’ll be looking to do against Howe.”
With the exception of his recent outing at the Copper Box Arena, Gorman’s pro journey so far has largely taken place at smaller venues in the Midlands so it would be natural for him to feel some trepidation ahead of such a high profile card. However, he says he’ll be in the zone once the bell rings.
“Boxing at the Manchester Arena is a dream come true, especially when the main event is for the world heavyweight title,” he said.
“There’s going to be a huge crowd and it’s a chance for me to make a real statement. I’ll be excited walking to the ring but I can’t be overawed, I have to blank the crowd out and just do the job Ricky has prepared me for.”
