By Chang-Ran Kim

TOKYO (Reuters) -World middleweight boxing champion Lauren Price dominated her first bout at the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, saying she was "massively" inspired by Britain's performance in taekwondo, a sport in which she has also competed.

A favourite to take the Olympic gold, the Welsh southpaw was effective with a flurry of shots to Mongolian Myagmarjargal Munkhbat, getting a solid left cross to her opponent's head in the first round.

Price looked energised and pleased after her win by unanimous vote, flashing a smile and sparring for the cameras as she left the arena.

"It's been annoying watching everyone box. I'm just glad to get out there," she said on the sport's fifth day at the Tokyo Games.

Price said she had expected Munkhbat to come at her more after having studied her on video before the bout.

"Obviously gold is the main focus, but I'm not going to think too far ahead of myself and just enjoy it."

FILIPINA WORLD CHAMPION ASSURED MEDAL

Elsewhere, reigning world featherweight champion Nesthy Petecio was assured at least a bronze after her unanimous victory over Colombia's Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda.

A gold for the 29-year-old would be the first for the Philippines, while she has already made history with the first medal for a boxer from the southeast Asian nation.

"I am so happy," she said. "This is my first Olympics and I have won my first medal. This tournament is proving so special to me, I am just so blessed."

Her next opponent at the semi-final, Italian Irma Testa, has also secured her country its first medal for women's boxing.

"My semi-final opponent is the world champion, so I know she will be very tough," Testa said.

"But when you reach this far in the competition then everyone is a candidate to win."

(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Peter Rutherford)