Undefeated Aberdeen welterweight champion Dean Sutherland is moving closer to his dream of boxing at Pittodrie.
The 23-year-old Dons fans wants to box for a major title at the stadium.
Sutherland, aka ‘Deadly’ hopes that ambition is edging towards reality after meeting up with Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin at Cormack Park.
Sutherland will defend his World Boxing Council International Silver welterweight title at the Beach Ballroom on Saturday June 25.
The fight will be broadcast live on Fightzone.
Sutherland said: “My dream is to fight at Pittodrie and I’m a step closer to achieving that.
“It was brilliant meeting Jim Goodwin and we talked a lot about boxing.
“He was interested in my fight at the Beach Ballroom which is during their pre-season training.
“He is going to see about trying to get a few members of the team and staff to come along which would be amazing.
“I have had two dreams since I was a kid – to be a full time athlete which I am now.
“The other is to headline at Pittodrie on the pitch.
“I have achieved one and am on my way to the second.”
Extremely exciting and motivating
One of the hottest rising stars in Scottish boxing, Sutherland boasts a flawless professional record of 13 wins from 13 professional fights.
Sutherland has already won a title fight at a Scottish football ground.
ln July last year he claimed the WBO Youth welterweight belt with a stoppage defeat of Mexican Jose Antonio Delgado Velazquez at Hamilton’s New Douglas Park.
Now he has his sights on fighting at Pittodrie.
He said: “Every time I watch a game at Pittodrie I imagine what it would be like to fight there.
“At half-time, when everyone goes to get their pie and Bovril, I always take 30 seconds to imagine myself out on the pitch fighting.
“I then imaging what the atmosphere would be like.
“It is a dream that I am getting closer and closer to achieving.
“That is extremely exciting for me and extremely motivating.”
Boxing talk about Joshua and Fury
Aberdonian Sutherland won the WBC International silver title in November last year with an impressive eighth-round stoppage of Michele Esposito at Beach Ballroom.
Sutherland stopped Italian Esposito (18,4,1) one minute 57 seconds into round eight.
It is the first time Esposito has been stopped in a nine-year career.
Sutherland said: “I had a really good chat with Jim Goodwin.
“He knows what he is talking about with boxing and likes watching the big fights.
“We talked about the Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury debate and he wanted a bit of insight from me on that.
“It’s good to have local athletes working together.
“He came in at Pittodrie towards the end of last season to try to put things in place.
“I wish him all the best in the next season coming up with Aberdeen.”
Return to Aberdeen Beach Ballroom
Sutherland met Aberdeen gaffer Goodwin at the club’s £14m training complex.
The southpaw is sponsored by TEXO who will be Aberdeen’s new shirt sponsor for the next three seasons.
Sutherland’s last fight was a points defeat of fellow Scot Corey McCulloch at the Beach Ballroom in March.
Although he extended his 100% pro record Sutherland admits the build up to the fight was frustrating.
McCulloch was drafted in as a late replacement just days before the bout.
Sutherland said: “The seven days before the fight was really hard mentally and emotionally.
“It was downer after downer.
“I then had to pick myself on fight night to go against someone who is one of my best pals that I have sparred with many times.
“Nothing came natural that night which was the hardest thing.
“That is no disrespect to Corey because he is a dangerous fighter.
“But on fight night I just seemed to go into sparring mode.
“I was really frustrated with myself afterwards.
“It was probably one of the worst feelings I have had after a fight and I came out winning quite comfortably.
“It wasn’t the standard I have set myself and the whole build up wasn’t what I had been looking for.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to the Beach Ballroom and winning with an impressive performance.”