Golden girl Nicola leads the way with early win in home city
Nicola Adams is convinced she has discovered the blueprint for world title domination after dispatching gutsy Mexican Maryan Salazar after 35 seconds of the third round on her triumphant homecoming in Leeds.
The double Olympic champion seized the opportunity of boxing three-minute rounds for the first time in her career to deliver an explosive performance roared on by a near-capacity crowd at the First Direct Arena.
It was a significant improvement on Adams’ relatively low-key debut win over Virginie Carcamo in Manchester last month, and served as an illustration of the battle she faces if she is to crown her career with a professional world title.
Like Salazar, four of the current seven lower-weight women’s world champions are Mexican, and Adams’ promoter Frank Warren is working on lining up a shot at WBO title holder Monserrat Alarcon around the end of the year.
Adams said: “That fight was just what I wanted - Mexicans are always tough and strong and have that neversay-die attitude, and I was really able to show my skills over the three-minute rounds.
“I got a little bit excited because I wanted to put on a good show for my home fans so much, but I settled down and managed to get that stoppage win.”
Any doubts over the popularity of professional women’s boxing were shattered by the raucous reception Adams received as she made her way to the ring for her first professional bout in her home city.
And to her enormous credit, the 18-year-old Salazar also came to fight, pushing out at Adams from the start and serving up a much sterner test than the flimsy opposition provided by Carcamo four weeks ago.
Adams was forced to take a couple of shots in a first round she otherwise dominated, but her eagerness to finish the job led to her cornermen urging her to “settle down” midway through the second.
A furious assault with both fists left Salazar buckling in the ropes but she was saved by the bell, before referee Howard Foster finally decided he had seen enough after a similarly one-sided start to round three.