Adams out to become boxing's Rousey

Nicola Adams has outlined a grand ambition as she prepares to make her professional debut on Saturday — the Briton wants to become the Ronda Rousey of women’s boxing.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist faces Argentina’s Virginia Noemi Carcamo in a four-round flyweight bout at the Manchester Arena after preparing in San Francisco with trainer Virgil Hunter, who also works with Andre Ward and Amir Khan.

Adams, 34, received an OBE earlier this year and hopes to become a global star in a similar way to UFC’s Rousey.

“I would love to change some people’s perspective of women’s boxing and women’s sport in general, and to help raise the profile,” said Adams.

“I would love to be able to do something similar with women’s boxing to what Ronda Rousey has done with the UFC and headline my own shows and have big fights in Vegas — that’s every boxer’s dream.

“I think Ronda Rousey has done an amazing job for the UFC and taken the UFC to a whole new level in the women’s game. In the UFC they have women headlining and they get paid just as much as the men do. I can definitely see myself in the next Hollywood blockbuster like her.”

American Rousey, 30, won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics before her success as a mixed martial artist. Since 2014, Rousey has also appeared in films The Expendables 3, Furious 7 and Entourage.

Adams, whose professional debut is screened by BoxNation and BT Sport in the UK, has had minor acting appearances and hopes to one day land bigger roles.

For now she is concentrating on her new career in women’s professional boxing and is due to box again in her home city of Leeds on May 13. Further down the line she is targeting Ava Knight (14-2-4, 5 KOs), the WBC champion from California.

“After achieving my goals in amateur boxing, I want to ­become world champion as a professional. I can’t wait to get going in a big arena with a big crowd. I’m ­coming for every title.

“If I stay in the flyweight ­division I’ll be going for Ava Knight. She’s got all the titles, so she’s the one I’m aiming for.”