EBBW Vale boxer Ashley Brace is dreaming of a world title fight next year after making a flying start to her professional career.

The 25-year-old took her unbeaten record to three wins from three in Newport last Friday with her first knockout victory in the paid ranks.

Brace, who turned pro after being denied a Commonwealth Games place in 2014 when it was deemed she had fought professionally as a kickboxer, is loving life at the moment.

Ranked number one in Britain, she is even targeting a global belt in 2017, with the possibility of other title fights to come between now and then.

And Brace, coached by her dad, Shaun, as well as Tony Borg and Chris Sanigar in Newport and Bristol respectively, is also enjoying being able to train alongside some top fighters.

“Sometimes training can be quite a lonely process so it was brilliant to be asked down to St Joseph’s after my first pro fight in Newport,” said Brace, who is also an instructor for Storm Kickboxing Academy.

“When you’re training with a world champion like Lee Selby you learn things quicker and you pick up things that you see him do.

“Ricky Hatton was one of my idols when I was younger and that’s why I went into boxing at an early age, and turning professional was something I always wanted to do.

“I’ve got to number one in Britain quite quickly but that’s because there aren’t anywhere near as many women boxing as men.

“There might be a Welsh title fight for me and I’m going to try and get the rounds in before a world title shot next year.”

Brace, whose training includes sessions at the Torfaen Warriors gym in Cwmbran, was happy with her latest performance against Romania’s Gabriella Mezei.

“I knew she was going to be a tough girl and she came to fight,” added Brace. “The first round was quite close and she took some good shots.

“I could see she was tiring in the second and I hit her with a couple of body shots.

“In the third I caught her with a left hook and then a right hand and she went down.”