Natasha Gale looking to step up in bout with Savannah Marshall

24 November 2015 02:47

Natasha Gale hopes her close connections with the family of Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams will help her shine in her own right in the biggest bout of her career on Friday night.

The 27-year-old Gale was encouraged to start boxing two years ago by Adams' brother Kurtis, with whom she went through college in Bradford and remains close friends.

Gale's natural ability saw a rapid rise through the ranks which resulted in an invitation to join the full-time Great Britain podium squad earlier this year - and earn a shot at current 75kg number one Savannah Marshall.

The pair will meet in the GB Championships in Sheffield and for Gale the bout will represent a stunning opportunity to impress selectors in a domestic division in which Marshall is yet to be seriously challenged.

Gale told Press Association Sport: "I've been friends with Kurtis for a long time and I would always be round at his house for dinner and Nicola would be there but in those days I didn't even think about boxing.

"But I was always active in the gym and after we finished our course Kurtis persuaded me to go back down and do a few tests, and I met with Nicola's club coach and things really just took off from there."

Gale's late start in the sport is in direct contrast to that of Marshall, who won the world title when she was still a teenager but whose career has been hampered by major spells of inconsistency.

GB performance director Rob McCracken has been desperately searching for a rival to keep Marshall on her toes, and the quick promotion of Gale suggests he has confidence the Leeds fighter can launch a serious challenge.

Gale added: "Savannah obviously has a lot more boxing experience than me because I have only had 18 bouts, but I am ready for this chance and I am just eager to show them what I can do.

"Whether or not it is too soon for Rio we will have to wait and see, but I am definitely committed to the sport for the long-term and if I can continue at the rate I have been improving in the last six months, I have a chance."

Although Adams herself will be absent from the GB Championships, her 51kg rival Lisa Whiteside can continue to put pressure on the selectors as she faces relative novice Kim Shannon.

A prospective men's flyweight box-off between Muhammad Ali and Jack Bateson is off after Ali failed to recover from a cut eye. Bateson will now meet Ionita Alexandru of Romania in an international contest.

Source: PA