Savannah Marshall misses out on World Championship final after losing to Nouchka Fontijn

British middleweight Savannah Marshall did not make the World Championship final after losing to her lively Dutch rival Nouchka Fontijn.

The 25-year-old from Hartlepool started the semi-final on Thursday afternoon desperate to avoid a fourth consecutive fight against the No 2 seed.

Having sealed her Olympic spot on Tuesday after making the last four, the Sky Academy Sports Scholar began in lively fashion and looked confident, dictating from the centre of the ring having not dropped a round in Kazakhstan.

There were early fireworks with the two exchanging several hefty headshots but despite a busy opening round and a solid right, honours narrowly went to Fontijn.

Marshall has benefited all week by being on the offensive and she was it again with a collection of bodyshots, but finished the second round by being caught by a vicious right hand.

Still Marshall continued with her policy of pushing forward and she dominated the third with a sweet left hand and jab combination, but the judges were not convinced and the Briton can feel a little aggrieved at only having one score in her favour. 

With two minutes to produce a miracle in the final round and salvage her championship, Marshall flew back into the ring and worried her opponent with a number of left-hand fireworks.

It left her open though and after suffering a heavy left jab, the Dutch fighter just had to keep out of trouble and ease to victory.

Marshall, supported through the Sky Academy Sports Scholarship scheme since the London 2012 Games, will be upset she wasn't able to get revenge on her nemesis from the Netherlands being one fight away from the final.

But she can reflect proudly on her efforts in Kazakhstan having started the World Championships under huge pressure to win three fights to guarantee her place at the Olympics in the summer.

GB team-mate Nicola Adams reached the flyweight final with victory over Kazakhstan fighter Zhaina Shekerbekova.

The 33-year-old Olympic champion, who has already qualified to defend her title in Rio, is targeting a first World Championship gold medal and earned a unanimous verdict against the home fighter in their semi-final.

Adams wrote on Twitter: "I won today and 1 step closer to the gold, thank you everyone for your continued support."

Blocking the Leeds fighter's route to the title, after Adams' three previous world silvers, will be Thailand's Peamwilai Laopeam, who took a narrow win over France's Sarah Ourahmoune.

WHAT'S COMING UP FOR OUR SCHOLARS

27 MAY: Lucy Garner, Boels Hills Classic

29 MAY: Lucy Garner, Gooik

10-16 JUNE: IPC Athletics European Championships in Grosseto, Italy

23-26 JUNE: Lucy Garner, National Road Cycling Championships in Stockton-on-Tees