Belt graces &
Hannah focuses on helping others after helping herself to Hydro glory
Big- hearted Hannah Rankin isn’t planning on revelling in retaining her world titles for long – as she’s off to South Africa to do charity work.
The Scot defended her WBA and IBO world super welterweight titles in style with Friday’s stoppage win over Mexican brawler Alejandra Ayala at the Hydro.
Rankin has set her sights on hoovering up the rest of the belts in the division but she has important business to attend to first following glory in Glasgow.
Fourteen months ago, Rankin was in Cape Town seeing off Kholosa Ndobayini.
And the two-weight world champion, an ambassador for non- prof it social enterprise BoxWise, said: “I’ve got a week off and then I’m off out to South Africa.
“We do a lot of outreach work and it’s our first foray into Africa, to Cape Town.
“I’m running a project for women and girls out there, getting them involved in sport and hopefully giving them some opportunities for future careers.
“It stems from my fight down there. When I was there I really wanted to make a difference for women in sport and when I came back, BoxWise were planning on branching out over there.
“It’s been a nice reconnection for me with South Africa and hopefully I can do some real good over there.”
Rankin won’t be gone long, though, as she’s got her sights on a battle of Britain with Natasha Jonas in her own backyard. The Scot became the first female to top the bill on the big stage in this country and is targeting a superfight on home soil. The Luss ace said: “Natasha Jonas has the WBO belt, Marie Dicaire has the IBF and Patricia Berghult has the WBC. I know all the girls, so it shouldn’t be too hard to make a fight with one of them. “The Jonas fight is a great one potentially. Two British boxers, same division, Scotland versus England – everyone likes that fight. It’d be really good for women’s boxing as well as you don’t usually have two fighters in the same division in this country.
“I want to fight at home in front of my fans. I want to make the Hydro my home, as any Scottish boxer would. It’s a fantastic arena and a brilliant place to box.
“I’ve fought all over the world so wherever it is, put the ring up and we’ll go. “But I don’t want that to be a one-off at the Hydro. The energy you get from that is absolutely incredible. I’d love to have it home here in Glasgow. I’ve got two of the belts and want all five of them, that’s my long- term goal. But I’ll enjoy this moment, a history-making moment.” Friday’s final round demolition was sublime, a moment to cherish for Rankin who said: “I’m still a bit overwhelmed at making history for my country. “I have to give a massive thanks to my team around me because this is only possible because of them.”