Nicola Adams: Olympic boxing champion will increase round length for Leeds fight

Adams marked her professional debut with a points victory over Argentina's Virginia Carcamo

Double Olympic champion Nicola Adams will contest three-minute rounds in her next fight, a contrast to the standard two minutes in women's boxing.

Adams won on her professional debut on Saturday but was frustrated to fight over four two-minute rounds.

"Every time I felt I was getting close to a stoppage the bell would go for the end of the round," said Adams, 34.

On Tuesday, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said the organisation "will never allow three-minute rounds".

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Sulaiman said some boxing jurisdictions had taken "steps backwards" in allowing longer rounds in the women's sport. He said the organisation would "limit the dehydration and the fatigue elements to lower as much as possible the risk of a tragedy".

Flyweight Adams' next bout in Leeds on 13 May is on the undercard of Josh Warrington's WBC International featherweight title fight with Kiko Martinez.

As Adams' fight is not for a WBC title, the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) have allowed for the extension of the bout to four three-minute rounds.

Ireland's London 2012 Olympic champion Katie Taylor has also called for the move and Adams' management believe it will be the first time a women's bout has featured the same length of rounds as their male counterparts in the UK.

"Female boxing has come a long way since Jane Couch MBE made the sport possible here in the UK in 1998," said Adams.

"However, there is still a way to go until both male and female boxers can campaign under the same competition rules."

Adams pursuing glove change

Adams is now intent on winning the right for women to wear lighter gloves.

The BBBofC's rules specify women must use 10oz gloves, a factor Adams' management believe is even more limiting than round length as gloves become heavier with perspiration as a fight progresses.

"It's great that the BBBofC has supported this first change and hopefully changes to glove sizes will come next," said Adams.

In the men's game, fighters competing from flyweight to welterweight are allowed to wear 8oz gloves.

BBC Radio 5 live boxing pundit Steve Bunce said a move to 8oz gloves would allow Adams to show her power, adding the current 10oz rule was "not good for business".