Professional fights have felt more and more like chess matches since making the step up for Nicola Adams – and the Leeds boxer wouldn’t dream of having it any other way.

For the first-ever female Olympic champion in 2012, the question always remained whether the Lioness would be able to turn her fists to the big stage.

But if doubt still remained after her first points win, that was surely snuffed out quickly and assuredly in May – 35 seconds into the third round against Maryan Salazar.

While the victories themselves have been something to write home about, the manner of the wins have also lent themselves to the opinion that more is to come - even with the expectation that undoubtedly fills her shoulders.

It’s a change in career path that has also come with a new mentality for the ever-learning 34-year-old, a journey towards new heights that she is thoroughly enjoying.

“Every action has a reaction, but it’s a lot more to my liking because it’s even more like a game of chess than the amateur fights,” said Adams, who is cycling the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 46 on July 30, which starts at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London before heading South and returning to the capital with a final stretch along The Mall.

“It’s been very different for me transitioning from an amateur to a professional. There are three-minute rounds now as opposed to two minute rounds, and there’s no head guard.

"It’s nice to think I’m one of the people who has inspired the younger generation to get involved in the sport.

“Putting on a show has been really important to me since day one, because boxing should be about entertainment as much as everything else."

Through and through a Yorkshire girl, Adams has already had the experience of returning to her Leeds roots in the ring, her first win by knockout that brought with it noise, expectation and belief comparable to that of London 2012 and Rio 2016 gold medals.

That dream could very become a reality within the next 18 months – a bout that could also have the extra edge as a world title fight - while also seeing her follow in the Olympic and world domination footsteps as her hero Muhammad Ali.

She explained: “It would mean a lot to me, it will be really good to fight there.

“I can’t believe the reception I got from the Leeds crowd last time I boxed there, it was absolutely amazing, I felt like I was boxing a world title fight then.

“I can’t even imagine how loud the crowd will be when I’m actually fighting for a world title!

“I love Yorkshire and love the people, everybody is really friendly and it’s home for me, and like they say, there’s no place like home.

“I’ve had more than 200 amateur fights, I’ve been adapting more for the times of the rounds and we’ve been working hard on slowing down my feet, getting more power in my punches.”

Nicola Adams OBE will be riding with students and teachers from the educational charity Teach First at Prudential RideLondon as part of the PruGOals programme. For further information on PruGOals visit www.prugoals.co.uk