HOPEFUL of soon going head to head with David Haye and the Klitschko brothers in sparring, Adam Machaj is determined to show that Anthony Joshua is not the only rising star of British heavyweight boxing right now.

Machaj will fight professionally for only the second time in Blackpool on Friday, against an opponent yet to be confirmed. He knows the journey ahead of him is a long one.

But, at 6ft 8in tall and 17 stone, the boxer born and bred in Oswaldtwistle believes he has a real chance of making it big.

Of Polish, Irish and Bolivian origins, he knocked out opponent Luke Martin in just 124 seconds on his professional debut at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium last month.

Machaj’s potential and commanding presence has already earned an invitation to spar with Haye ahead of the Londoner’s bout with Tyson Fury, which was eventually postponed until February.

And members of his camp, at Lower Darwen’s 2XL gym, say tentative enquiries have even been made about the possibility of the Lancashire man travelling to Germany to face the only two boxers he idolises, the all-conquering brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko.

“Our sports solicitor Gareth Williams used to be the CEO of Hatton Promotions and has major contacts throughout world boxing,” said Machaj’s manager Frank Duffin.

“He’s going to speak to the Klitschkos’ management team and ask for Adam to go over and do a couple of weeks of sparring in Germany. It’s already been discussed.

“And Adam was asked recently to go and spar with David Haye for the Tyson Fury fight, because he is roughly the same height and weight as Fury.

“I believe they are going to contact us for the February fight.”

The chance to go toe to toe with some of boxing’s biggest names is a real incentive for Machaj.

“Unfortunately I was out of the country when we got the call from David Haye’s camp, I was in Poland visiting family,” he said.

“We could have gone down there and had a spar, but that will come round again, and perhaps with the Klitschko brothers as well in the new year.

“They’re probably the only people I idolise, Wladimir especially. I’d love to be a carbon copy of him.

“If I go to spar with them you’re there to learn because you’re not a threat to them on paper.

“It would be invaluable for me.”

Machaj’s first professional fight came seven days after the much heralded pro debut of Olympic champion Joshua.

“Fair play to him, he’s won the Olympics, questionably in my view, but there’s potentially a rival there in a couple of years,” said the 25-year-old.

“Maybe he’s a few levels above me now because of the amateur experience but in power and strength, I think I can punch twice as hard as him. I’m just not as used to the occasion as much.

“Maybe in two or three years, maybe less, we’ll meet. If that happened I wouldn’t have any doubts about myself.

“Whoever comes in my way is going down, as simple as that.”

And Duffin believes his charge is right to be confident.

“He’s far quicker and he hits far harder than Joshua,” Duffin said.

“Technically there’s not much between them, but I believe Adam’s the hardest hitting heavyweight in Britain. It’s unbelievably how hard he hits, I do the pads with him and it’s absolutely amazing,” added Machaj’s trainer Baz Higginson, father of former British top 10 lightweight Dezzi Higginson.

As well as natural power, it is clear from speaking to Machaj that there is no lack of drive either.

“I’m in it to climb that ladder and get to the top,” said the man nicknamed the ‘Heat Seeker’.

“I’m born like this, I’m half Eastern European, my dad’s Polish and it’s in my genes to be strong.

“I probably could have been good in decathlon, in rowing or basketball.

“I played basketball for Accrington and for Lancashire because I’m 6ft 8in, and I’ve done indoor rowing competitions and been top 10.

“I think I was only 20 seconds behind Matthew Pinsent’s time on the 2,500m on an indoor rower, which isn’t bad really for someone who hasn’t trained too much.

“But I’ve chosen boxing. It’s not for the money because you don’t make money at the lower levels. With boxing it’s the physical aspect, the lonely side of it.

“It sounds strange but I’m an only child and I’m used to being on my own.

“You’re alone in that ring and when you’re doing your runs at night time. I go for runs at 11.30pm.

“You go in there knowing you can potentially get really hurt or you can potentially really hurt someone else.

“There’s so much emotion running round you.”

Machaj was narrowly defeated by Fury in the amateurs, but it is progression not revenge that is not on his mind.

“I boxed him when we were kids,” he said. “I lost by a point because I got a standing count. My head guard came off. You should never get a standing count for that.

“He’s no trouble to me whatsoever, he’s big and strong but I am too, he’s just more used to the occasion than me.

“Once I’ve dipped my toe in a few times I’d be happy to take on anybody.

“It’s not like some young lad saying I want to be David Beckham or Michael Jordan, I fully believe I can become world champion. I’ve got the physical attributes for it.

“But everything has to be done in a steady incline.

“I want to do it the proper way.”