Nicola Adams turns pro and targets world title as boxing pro Frank Warren forced to eat humble pie
Two-time Olympic gold-medallist Nicola Adams has set her sights on becoming a world champion after turning professional and signing a long-term deal with promoter Frank Warren.
Following in the footsteps of former Irish amateur Katie Taylor, flyweight Adams, 34, is set to make her professional bow on 8 April in Manchester, while a home fight in Leeds is planned for 13 May. Her opponents are yet to be announced.
“I want to take women’s boxing to the next level, become a world champion and do great things,” said Adams. “My hero was Muhammad Ali. I said after watching him I wanted to box at the Olympics and turn pro.”
Despite her new status, Adams, who claimed her second successive Olympic crown in Rio in August, has not ruled out a return to the ring for the Tokyo Games in 2020.
“I can still go back and do Tokyo as well, I wouldn’t like to rule anything out. Never say never,” added Adams.
Warren, meanwhile, has been forced into a U-turn after previously being disparaging about women’s boxing. He said: “My head’s been turned. I had to eat humble pie, and thought ‘are you a dinosaur?’. She could probably win a world title now.”