Boxing: Hannah Rankin vows to make Scottish sporting history

The former Hermitage Academy pupil was back in the UK this week after an intensive training camp in Poland ahead of her shot at the vacant IBO world super-welterweight title.

And with just a month to go until Rankin faces Sarah Curran at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley on June 15, in a fight which will be screened live on TV, the 28-year-old has vowed to her growing army of supporters that she’ll do them proud and make history by winning the title.

Speaking to

, Rankin said: “It is an unreal opportunity for a world title shot at my own weight class, especially at home in Scotland.

“There is nothing that compares to this - every fighter dreams of it, and I will not be defeated on home turf, I can promise you.

“It is a real chance to make history for Scotland as the first female world champion – I just can’t wait to get in there now. It is a proud moment for me and my whole team and I am headlining. It is going to be live on TV – watch it, I will put on a show and I will be crowned Scotland’s first ever female world champion.”

Next month’s Kynoch Boxing card also features a clash between Ahmed Ibrahim and Martin Taylor in a 50/50 Scottish title fight, as well as a full undercard.

Rankin’s sparring partners in Poland included the reigning WBO world super-featherweight champion Ewa Brodnicka, former European cruiserweight champion Mateusz Masternak, and Polish champions Pola Rogala and Emilia Czerwinska.

Rankin goes into next month’s bout off the back of a points win over Eva Bajic in Glasgow in January – her first fight on Scottish soil since June 2018, and her sixth victory in nine professional bouts.

On her own social media feed, she recently wrote: “Every little step, every decision we’ve made as a team, every opportunity we’ve taken in this sport has all been to fulfil my goal of reaching the top and to get me one step closer to becoming world champion. Why do something if you don’t intend to be the best?”

“Sometimes our decisions may have been questioned as a team but come June 15 in Scotland, we intend to have that dream realised and I will become Scotland’s first female world champion.”

Tickets for next month’s fight night cost £40 (unreserved), £60 (reserved) and £100 (VIP ringside), and are available online from eventbrite.co.uk (search for ‘boxing’ and ‘Paisley) or direct from Hannah.