Nicola "The Lioness" Adams, was born in Leeds, England, on October 26, 1982.  She first began boxing at the age of 12 years old, training at the Star and Fitness gym in Leeds, to keep fit, with her mother.

Adams told WBAN, “I first saw the two people who would soon be my first coaches Steven Franks and Leroy Brown. I saw other kids having fun and I decided to join in and I have been boxing ever since. I am now boxing for Hard & Fast Police Club with Coaches Martin Utley and Fred Gummerson, and also Alwin Belcher an England National coach.”

When Adams is not boxing, for work she does “walk on” parts for a for a soap opera called Emmerdale.”

Adams told WBAN, “I had my first bout when I was 13. It was an exhibition bout in Leeds against Clair Newton from a rival gym. It was a great experience and I wanted to do more but as keen as I was to fight again, my coaches couldn’t find any other girls for me to box. It wasn’t until I turned 17 when my coaches found me an opponent in Newcastle. I won by knockout in the second round.”

Two years later, in November 2001 there was a selection training camp for England, where she trained alongside David Hay, who inspired her to train harder, and aim higher. Adams said, “After this I was picked to be the first female to box for England in a dual international against Ireland, I won the bout in the second round on the outclass rule, I was over the moon, both for winning and representing my country for the first time. In 2002, I got the chance to represented England again in a box cup in Norway where I won a bronze medal. In May 2003 I won my first England Amateur boxing National title, which I have gone on to win four times since.”

In April 2004, Adams boxed in the Women’s World Tournament in Norway, Adams told WBAN, “To be honest I didn’t think I was ready to go to such a big tournament at the time, as I had only had 12 bouts and to make matters worse I drew the world champion in the fist round, but to my amazement I didn’t do as bad as I thought I would, It went three rounds and I lost on points but gained a world of experience.”

Later on that year in September Adams boxed in the Witch cup International Tournament in Hungary, where she won gold. “You can imagine I was ecstatic, and I remember, I couldn’t stop smiling I was so happy” added Adams.

In October of that same year, Adams was selected to box in the European Championships, in Italy. Adams said, “I was filled with confidence after winning gold in Hungary---I felt more than ready for the European championships, unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be I lost to a girl with a lot more experience than I had, and she went on to win gold.”

In September 2005, Adams boxed in her first home dual international against Italy in Sunderland. She won on the outclass rule in the second round.

In June 2006, she boxed in the European Union in Porto Torres, Sardinia, losing in the quarter finals. In that same month she won the England Amateur boxing National title for a third time.

In July of the same year, Adams boxed in a dual international, Yorkshire Vs. Canada, at the Niagara falls Casino where she won by a unanimous decision. Adams said, “I couldn’t believe my luck first for being selected to go to Canada and then to win, a tough bout, It was exciting,.”

In February 2007, Adams’ Boxing Club and her mother raised the funds for a boxer to come to England so that she could box in front of her hometown crowd. Adams boxed a girl from Denmark and won by a unanimous decision. It was the first time that she had ever boxed in front of her hometown crowd in Leeds.

In May 2007, Adams boxed in the Ahmet Comert box cup in Turkey where she won a bronze medal.

Adams said, “that is one of my greatest achievements so far, I’m improving all the time and I’m looking to doing bigger and better things with the support of my sponsors Hilton Hotel and Livingwell heath club Leeds and Mike Thorpe Properties Leeds. My coaches, my mum and partner Ray have helped me and supported me a lot along the way and I couldn’t ask for a better mum. “

In August of 2012, Adams made history when she won a Gold Medal in the first-time admittance of female boxers in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

On April 8, 2017, at the Manchester Arena, (formerly known as the MEN Arena) in Manchester,  Adams, 113¾,  won her pro debut in a four-round bout by points over Virginia Noemi Carcamo, 113¼, of San Carlos de Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina. Final judges score was 40-36.

On May 13, 2017, at the First Direct Arena, in Leeds, Adams, 114,  won by a third round TKO over Maryan Salazar, 111, in a four round bout.

On December 16, 2017, at the  Place Bell,in  Laval, Quebec, Canada,  Adams, 115, won by a third round TKO over Soledad Macedo, 113. In a second female bout, light flyweight Kim Clavel, 106¾ , pro debut, won a four-round unanimous decision over Yoseline Jose, 108.

On May 19, 2018, at the Elland Road Football Ground, in Leeds, Yorkshire, United Kingdom,  Nicola Adams, 113¾, won by a first round TKO over Soledad del Valle Frias, 119¼. The bout was scheduled for 10 rounds.

On October 6, 2018, at the Leicester Arena, in Leicester, Adams, 111.5, won a ten-round unanimous decision over Isabel Millan, 111 1/4.  The two were fighting for the Interim WBO Flyweight title.  Final judges scores were 97-93, 97-93, 96-94.

On September 27, 2019, at the Royal Albert Hall, in Kensington, London, United Kingdom, Adams, 111 3/4, had a controversial draw with Maria Salinas in a ten-round bout. She became the WBO Flyweight champion.