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Nicola Adams faces foe Stoyka Petrova in flyweight quarter-finals

Nicola Adams lands with a right hand during her flyweight opener in Baku
Image: Nicola Adams lands a right hand during her flyweight opener

Nicola Adams will be aiming to set the record straight when she faces Stoyka Petrova in the quarter-finals of the European Games on Monday.

Adams is bidding to secure an unprecedented boxing treble In Baku after winning Olympic and Commonwealth gold medals.

However, the 32-year-old must first defeat Petrova - the only women to beat her since her historic victory at London 2012 – in the last eight on Monday.

Petrova knocked Adams out of the European Union Championships in Rotterdam last year but  previously lost to the Briton in eight of their career meetings - including a unanimous verdict at a tournament in Spain last month.

Adams dominated Hungarian Katalin Ancsin in her opening flyweight bout on Friday to set up a showdown with the Bulgarian.

"We boxed in Spain a couple of weeks ago and I had the upper hand against her, and I am hoping to improve on that performance,” said Adams.

"You have to go into every bout feeling confident. Each time I step into the ring I am thinking about winning that gold medal, and I assume everyone else is thinking the same thing."

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Adams showed no ill effects from the shoulder surgery which kept her out of this year's World Championships as she dominated the three rounds against Ancsin.

She added: "I am feeling excellent - like 10 times better than I was last year. It was really hard boxing in a competition with an injured shoulder, and now I am back to my normal self."

Nicola Adams (Blue) and Stoyka Petrova
Image: Reigning European champion Stoyka Petrova was beaten by Adams in the quarter-finals of London 2012

The experienced Petrova was an equally convincing winner over Wassila Lkhadiri of France in the contest immediately preceding Adams.

The 29-year-old won a bronze medal at the 2011 European Championships in Rotterdam and is relishing the chance to have another shot at improving her record against the Olympic champion.

Petrova said: "She's the Olympic champion and the whole world knows she's a very strong opponent - but I know how to beat her."