Nicola Adams: Big names can work together to raise profile of women's boxing
ByPA Sport
Published 15/05/2017 at 09:28 GMT
Nicola Adams has little interest in being hailed the best pound-for-pound female boxer in the world - and says her sport's big names can work together to lift it to new heights.
Nicola Adams defeated Maryan Salazar in her home city of Leeds on Saturday night
Image credit: PA Sport
The women's professional scene has changed dramatically since Rio 2016, with double Olympic champions Adams and Claressa Shields, and Ireland's five-time world amateur champion Katie Taylor all bolstering the ranks.
Adams, who stopped Maryan Salazar in the third round of her second professional fight in Leeds on Saturday night, is hoping to land a shot at a professional world title some time around the end of the year.
Adams said: "I don't think there is a rivalry between us - I think we're all doing the job of promoting women's boxing collectively, as one.
"I think we can all do our bit to raise the profile of the sport. I don't think it is a one-person effort. We can all work together to raise the bar."
Adams' partner Marlen Esparza has also turned professional in the US while former GB team-mate Savannah Marshall - the only fighter to beat Shields - is hoping to hunt down a rematch with her one-time rival.
Shields is already making major waves in the States with three professional wins and in March she became the first female fighter to headline a card on a US premium network.
Adams is likely to follow suit when she snares a world title shot with her promoter Frank Warren having already sounded out reigning WBO flyweight champion Monserrat Alarcon.
Unlike many Mexican title holders, Alarcon has shown a willingness to travel having clinched her title in April with a tough seventh-round stoppage of holder Nana Yoshikawa in Japan.
And while Warren is in no rush to push Adams into title contention, he clearly views her home city of Leeds as the ideal venue for a showdown following the success of Saturday night.
With fellow Leeds star and major ticket seller Josh Warrington also closing in on a world title shot, Elland Road has already been mooted as a potential venue for a double-header.
Warren said: "They make a great double-act and they will be back here, but there is no rush. It is about Nicola getting that experience and being ready for it when she gets that shot."
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