Hannah Rankin: Hydro headline bout 'massive for women's boxing'
Topping the bill at Glasgow's Hydro is a "massive step forward for women's boxing", says WBA and IBO super welterweight champion Hannah Rankin.
The Scot was due to fight Alejandra Ayala at nearby Braehead Arena, but high ticket demand meant the 13 May bout has moved to the larger venue.
It hosted Josh Taylor's controversial victory over Jack Catterall last month.
"I'm really trying to push women's boxing in Scotland," said Rankin, the country's first female world champion.
"I want to be up there for young girls to look to me and think they can do this, this is a pathway they can follow.
"It's a massive step forward for women's boxing. It just shows how far women's boxing has come in the past few years.
"Now I've opened the door, the opportunities will keep coming. Promoters will see there are possibilities for women to be headlining big shows like this in amazing venues like the Hydro."
Rankin, 31, beat American Sarah Curran to claim the IBO title in June 2019, earning a slice of Scottish boxing history, but lost the belt to Sweden's Patricia Berghult five months later.
The Luss fighter reclaimed the IBO crown and added the WBA title with victory over Berghult's compatriot Maria Lindberg in November last year.
She defends her belts for the first time against Mexican Ayala, 33, who has 14 wins in 19 professional fights, on 13 May.
"I've always wanted to fight a Mexican," Rankin told BBC Scotland. "They're just fantastic fighters. They've got a history of being amazing boxers.
"I've often been nicknamed the Scottish Mexican - to fight a Mexican will be perfectly apt. You want to put on a show for the fans and there will be fireworks.
"I've been in with much more experienced opponents my whole career. I'm bigger, stronger, faster, and I'm looking forward to showcasing all of that on the night."
