HANNAH RANKIN has been given an extra two weeks to prepare for her first fight on Scottish soil of this year.

The Luss boxer had been due to appear on a packed bill of Scottish boxing talent at an outdoor fight night at Hamilton Accies’ New Douglas Park ground on Friday, July 16.

But the former Hermitage Academy pupil announced this week that the event has been rescheduled – and will now take place on Saturday, July 31 instead.

The ‘Rise of the Champions’ event – which also features lightweight Calvin McCord, featherweight Nathaniel Collins, welterweight Dean Sutherland and super-bantamweight Billy Stuart, all of them undefeated since turning professional – has been delayed because of Covid restrictions, with less onerous Level 0 protection measures not due to take effect in Scotland until July 19.

READ MORE: 'On to the next one' says Rankin after victory in Cape Town bout

Having ended 2020 on a disappointing note after losing to Savannah Marshall in a title fight for the WBO world middleweight crown in October – Rankin’s first fight outside her perferred super-welterweight division after turning pro – the 30-year-old set herself the goal of winning three fights in 2021 as she aims to become the first Scottish woman to win a world boxing championship title twice.

And after seeing off the threat of South African Kholosa Ndobayini in comfortable fashion in Cape Town in March, Rankin – who was diagnosed with Covid before Christmas but quickly returned to training and to full fitness – is now just four weeks away from the chance to win the second of those three fights.

The identity of her opponent in this month’s title contest in Lanarkshire is being kept a closely guarded secret – though in an Instagram post on Sunday Rankin teased her followers by revealing that more info will “be announced soon”.

Tickets for the event start at £50, but availability is strictly limited – if you’d like to be ringside for the bout, contact Hannah direct via Twitter or Instagram to secure your place.

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