She made history four years ago by becoming the first woman to win Olympic boxing gold, but Nicola Adams added one more feat to her repertoire on Friday by becoming the only female in the history of the sport to have won all five major titles.
The 33-year-old defeated Peamwilai Laopeam of Thailand in the flyweight final of the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Kazakhstan to be crowned World Champion, making it fourth time lucky after settling for silver at three previous Championships.
The win completes Adams’ major title collection, having already won European and Commonwealth gold, as well as becoming Olympic Champion at London 2012 and claiming the inaugural European Games title last year.
“I came here to win the gold so to leave as World Champion is absolutely brilliant and one of the high points of my career,” she said.
“To finally become World Champion after losing out in three previous finals is very satisfying and shows that if you stick to your goals and work hard you can achieve them in the end.
“Winning this means I have now won every major title and I am really happy to complete the career grand slam of being Olympic, European, European Games, Commonwealth and World Champion.
“The tournament has been great preparation for the Olympics and I am now really looking forward to the Games and defending my title in Rio when I hope to become a two-time Olympic Champion.”
After defeating home fighter Zhaina Shekerbekova in Thursday’s semi-final, Leeds-born Adams looked to take the initiative in the final and established a lead on two of the judges’ scorecards after the first round.
She cemented her advantage with a strong showing in the second round, and held off a resurgence from Laopeam in the third to remain well ahead and secure the win by a 2:1 split decision.
The win makes Adams only the third Briton in history to win a World Championships, after Frankie Gavin secured the men’s lightweight crown in 2007 and Adams’ team-mate Savannah Marshall won the women’s middleweight title in 2012.
Marshall secured bronze at this year’s competition, and together with Adams’ gold, means women from GB Boxing have won 16 medals at eight major tournaments since the women’s team was formed six years ago.
Sportsbeat 2016