she made the announcement at a news conference earlier today. our sports correspondent, katie gornall, has been speaking to her. her report contains some flash photography. i'm here eating humble pie today. there was a time when promoter frank warren wasn't interested in women's boxing, but nicola adams changed his mind. this is a fighter used to breaking new ground. last year in rio, she became the first briton to successfully defend an olympic boxing title in nearly 100 years. she is also the reigning world, european and commonwealth champion. as an amateur, she told me she has nothing left to prove. there are a lot of goals in the professional ranks to achieve, becoming a world champion and european champion. there are so many goals to achieve in the professional ranks. raising the game again, and just making, hopefully trying to make, women's boxing on a par with the men's. adams is one of a number of olympic champions to have turned professional in the last few months.

the irish star katie taylor recently featured on the undercard of anthony joshua's high—profile title fight. it is hoped boxing could follow the lead of mixed martial arts, where female fighters regularly topped the bill. this is a different time, a different era. i think that the standard has improved, that's why i actually want to get involved in it, because it is a better standard. i think that for us, she will prove that. adams will have to wait until april to make her debut in manchester before a fight in her home city of leeds in may. so far, she has done everything asked of her. now it is time to see if she can live up to her billing once again. katie gornall, bbc news, in london. nicola adams. hello, the headlines tonight. bye bye bernie as bernie ecclestone‘s reign as formula 1 boss ends after 40 reign as formula 1 boss ends after a0 yea rs. reign as formula 1 boss ends after a0 years. 0lympic golden girl nicola adams turns professional and has her sights set on becoming a world champion. and johanna konta insists

serena williams is not unbeatable as she sets up a quarterfinal at the australian open with a 22 times grand slam champion. hello and welcome. bernie ecclestone‘s a0 year reign in charge of formula 1 is over. the 86—year—old has been removed from his position by the new owners of the sport, liberty media. the ta keover the sport, liberty media. the takeover has been confirmed. andrew bensonjoins me. we've been expecting this that his departure marks a huge change for the sport. it certainly does, he's been central in building was bought up in the

last few decades into one of the biggest sports in the world, it is third in terms of global audience, second to the football world cup and the olympics. and he's done it through a combination of tv rights and deals with governments, like vladimir putin's, and so on. it is ha rd to overstate vladimir putin's, and so on. it is hard to overstate the impact that he has had on growing formula 1 into that position. what do we know about the new owners. they are obviously very serious. this takeover values the sport at $8 million and if you look at the changes they have made today they've employed some serious people. it's important to say that although he has been removed as chief executive officer and has no power any more he's been kept on as adviser, chairman and writers. that is wise, given his expertise, and a lawyer that he has worked closely

with is also staying on. the headline is ross brawn, the boss of the mercedes team some years ago and before that technical director of ferrari when michael schumacher won five championships in a row, he's been given any role overseeing the motorsport side of the liberty business, and another executive who was a big deal in america with the espn network is taking on the commercial role. some serious players underneath chase carey, the chairman, who himself has been a long—term tenant of rupert murdoch. it will be interesting to see how this one goes. thank you. double 0lympic this one goes. thank you. double olympic champion nicola adams has announced she is to turn professional, the 3a—year—old will make a professional debut at the manchester arena on april eight before another bout in her home city of leeds on may 13. she was the

first woman to become an olympic boxing champion at london 2012 and defended her flyweight title at rio last summer. i have to create my own team, i'm excited that we are all working together to achieve this goal which is to make me a champion and take women's boxing to the next level. the family of ryan mason have thanked well—wishers for the support after a dramatic 2a hours, the whole city midfielder had surgery after sustaining a fractured skull at sta mford sustaining a fractured skull at stamford bridge on sunday. he was injured ina stamford bridge on sunday. he was injured in a clash of heads with chelsea defender gary cahill during yesterday's fixture between the two sides. today the 25—year—old was described as conscious, talking and ina described as conscious, talking and in a stable condition. the club confirmed the player would continue to be monitored in hospital over the coming days. arsene wenger has been charged with misconduct by the fa after his team's win over burnley on

sunday. he pushed the fourth official anthony tailor after being sent off and is alleged to have used abusive or insulting words towards. the frenchman was angry at the decision to award burnley a penalty and added time, he has since apologised and has until 6pm on thursday to respond to the charge. everton‘s gerard deulofeu hasjoined ac milan on loan until the end of the season, the former barcelona player has made 13 appearances for everton this season and manager ronald koeman said last week he would be allowed to leave to get gametime. liverpool have confirmed lazar markovic as joint hull on a season—long loan. the winger signed from benfica for £20 million three yea rs from benfica for £20 million three years ago and had been on loan at sporting lisbon. the manager says he will support steven gerrard in every way in his ambition to become a manager, hejoins way in his ambition to become a manager, he joins the club as academy coach next month. the person

he is is ready to take the steps. it's wonderful news for football. because combining his experience with all the things that you learn from now on, it's a bright future. johanna konta is confident she can pull of the biggest win of her career as she gets ready to face 22 times grand slam slam champion serena williams in the australian 0pen quarterfinal, the number nine seed saw off ekaterina makarova of russia in straight sets to reach the last eight. we watched the action. some melt in the melbourne heat yet johanna konta is shining and britain's lost hope in the single store was swiftly leading 3—0. ekaterina makarova of russia has bad memories of playing johanna konta, she lost to her at the same stage last year, jo konta has since climbed the rankings and is showing why she is in the top ten in the world. she raced through the opening

set 6—1. the second was not so easy as the experienced ekaterina ma ka rova as the experienced ekaterina makarova found her rhythm and a three—game advantage. johanna konta, though, refused to be dictated to and returned to playing with precision. a ruthless efficiency got her back into the set and provided a platform for her to secure her second australian open quarterfinal. this is where she will meet six time champion serena for the first time. i'm looking forward to competing against her. she's one of the best, if not the best player we have had in the game. sol if not the best player we have had in the game. so i think to play against someone like that to you grew up watching, it's another great opportunity for me to take a mega load of experience from it. it won't be an easy experience for serena williams with johanna be an easy experience for serena williams withjohanna konta in sizzling form. serena williams beat the czech player barbora

zahlavova—strycova the czech player barbora za hlavova —strycova in straight sets to book a place in the last eight, winning 7—5, 6—a. she has won six titles in melbourne. and in the men's draw rafael nadal is through to the quarterfinals, his first in a grand slam in almost two years. he beat gael monfils by three sets to one in a hard—fought match. nadal spent much of last year struggling with injury, he will now face milos raonic in the last eight, he is the highest seed left in the men's draw. world number two rory mcilroy has pulled out of the dubai desert classic as he recovers from a rib injury. the northern irishman also missed the abu dhabi championship last weekend.