Nicola Adams beats Mexican Isabel Millan to close in on world title bout - BBC Sport
Nicola Adams closes in on her first full world title fight by beating Isabel Millan to win the interim WBO world flyweight title.
Last updated on .From the section Boxing

Britain's Nicola Adams moved closer to her first full professional world title fight by beating Isabel Millan to win the interim WBO world flyweight title.

Adams, 35, earned a unanimous points victory over the Mexican and will now likely fight for a world title in her next bout.

The win is a fifth from five fights for two-time Olympic champion Adams since she turned professional in 2017.

"I belong at world class. I want that world title shot," Adams said.

Her promoter Frank Warren said the Yorkshirewoman could fight for the full WBO female flyweight championship, currently held by Mexican Arely Mucino, on the undercard of the fight between Josh Warrington and Carl Frampton at the Manchester Arena on 22 December.

"She is a champion, there's no going backwards, on 22nd December I'm hoping it will be for the full title," Warren said.

Adams was tested by Mexican Millan, taken beyond four rounds for the first time in her professional career in the bout at Morningside Arena in Leicester.

The Briton started the stronger and landed a number of blows, even smiling as she threw her punches, but Millan stood firm and did not allow Adams a fourth stoppage-win a row.

Millan had her best round in the ninth but Adams responded with a flurry in the final round to emphasise her greater class.

Adams took the win on all three judges scorecards, one scoring the bout 96-94 and the other two 97-93.

"They were hard rounds but this is what I need to progress. It was good to get the rounds in the bag," Adams said.

"She wasn't that powerful, just trying to put the pressure on me. I have trained for 10 rounds and I hope that has shown everyone I have gas in the tank."

In the following fight, highly rated 21-year-old British heavyweight Daniel Dubois continued his unbeaten record by beating experienced American Kevin Johnson - his ninth win from nine fights.

Dubois was taken the distance, the first time he has failed to win by knockout, but was the fighter on the front foot throughout.

Johnson, 39, who took Tyson Fury the distance in 2012 and was knocked out in the second round by Anthony Joshua in 2015, received a number of heavy blows, particularly two uppercuts in the ninth round.

Dubois took the fight with the comfortable score of 100-91.

Later, Jack Catterall beat Ohara Davies in an all-British fight for the the WBO intercontinental super-lightweight title.

The cagey bout went all 12 rounds but was awarded to Catterall in a unanimous decision by the judges.

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