Home-grown Olympic talent punches her way into history books

Fighting for success at London 2012 Briton Nicola Adams became the first ever......

15:51 11 August 2012

Fighting for success at London 2012 Briton Nicola Adams became the first ever female boxer to win an Olympic gold.

 

The Yorkshire competitor beat Ren Cancan, a three-time world champion, on day 13 of the games prior to Usain Bolt making his mark.

 

A punch in the right direction came for Team GB in the second round with Adams knockdown of Ren.

 

The Chinese sportswoman, who is believed by some to have a noticeable boxing technique, had previously beat Adams twice.

 

"I'm taking this medal back to Leeds because it belongs as much to all those people who've given their support as it does to me," said Adams, as reported by The Independent.

 

The BBC added that former female boxer Barbara Buttrick enjoyed the match. "The quality of their boxing is just as good as the men," she said.

 

"I think it's so exciting. When I was around, fighting at the Olympics wasn't even a dream.

 

"The British Boxing Board of Control would not give me permission to fight and there was no chance of being on a regular licensed boxing show in England,” she explained.

 

Adams aspired to be like her idol Muhammad Ali, and according to The Independent she claims: "When I was a kid I spent so much time watching him when the old fights were re-run.

 

“He delighted me so much with his skill and his personality and the way he affected people. I said: 'I want to be like him'."

 

Fortunately the victorious boxer didn’t hang up her gloves to pursue a role in acting as Adams appeared as an extra in TV soaps such as Coronation Street.

 

At Liverpool’s Echo Arena Adams won the first ever GB Amateur Boxing Championship in 2010.