‘Axeman’ begins top-10 climb with Adorno test

FORMER WORLD Boxing Association (WBA) Super World featherweight champion Nicholas ‘The Axeman’ Walters, will make his 2024 ring debut on Wednesday, March 27, when he clashes with promising American lightweight boxer Joseph ‘Blessed Hands’ Adorno, at the White Sands Events Center in Plant City, Florida, in a fight that is scheduled for 10 rounds. After a break from the ring that lasted more than six years, Walters, who is 37 and has 28 wins, one draw, and a loss, returned to the ring last year, winning his two fights.

The fight against the 24-year-old Adorno, who has an impressive 18-3-2 record with 15 knockouts to his credit, will be an important part of his journey back to the top, with Walters telling The Gleaner yesterday, he was aware of that fact. He has now moved from the featherweight to the lightweight division, and his mission this year is to get into the top-10 world ranking.

“I must accomplish this soon, therefore I must win this fight,” said Axeman.

Walters, who is based in Panama, has set up training camp in Las Vegas and said that he is now working harder than he has ever done in his career.

The long lay-off, he said, took its toll on him, and the only way to get back into world-title condition was to work hard. His comeback victories last year were a points victory over Luis Diaz Marmol on February 25 and a technical knockout over Reynaldo Esquivia on November 22.

Those victories, he said, gave him the impetus to return to boxing full-time, and every fight now will be important.

“I have the incentive to get back to the top, time is short and every fight now is important. I have to win and I am working hard to achieve this.”