Hannah Rankin: record, next fight and profile →
With bare knuckle boxing, influencer boxing, and slap fighting all on the rise, It has never been tougher for a boxer to retire than it is today, writes Elliot Worsell.
Ema Kozin no longer has to settle for being defined by her lone career defeat. An awkward battle with former WBA titlist Hannah Rankin saw the visiting Slovenian claim a ten-round, split decision to win the vacant WBC and WBO junior middleweight titles. Glasgow’s Rankin won 96-94 on one card, overruled by scores of 96-94 and 98-92 for Kozin in their ESPN+ opener Saturday at AO Arena in Manchester, England.
Nick Ball and Isaac Dogboe are all set to meet at the crossroads. Both boxers easily made weight ahead of their WBC featherweight title eliminator. Liverpool’s Ball (18-0, 11KOs) was a slim and fit 125 pounds as he faces his first former titlist. Dogboe (24-3, 15KOs)—an Accra, Ghana native who lives in London—was 125.2 pounds in a bid to bounce back from a WBO featherweight title defeat to Robeisy Ramirez earlier this year.
In a fight that is certain to draw a bumper crowd from the city of Stoke, Nathan Heaney (17-0, 6) will attempt to realise his dream when he challenges Denzel Bentley (18-2-1, 15) for the British Middleweight title, with the WBA Continental championship belts also on the line.
Harper, Rankin Fight Photos Gallery - Nottingham Arena, Nottingham - For the WBA, IBO junior middleweight titles, Terri Harper (13-1-1, 6 KOs) is once again a world champion with a ten round unanimous decision over Hannah Rankin (12-6, 3 KOs). (photos by Mark Robinson)
Junaid Bostan was determined to not allow Anas Isarti to go the distance. It was was a race against the clock, but the 20-year-old junior middleweight remained a knockout every time out after scoring a sixth-round stoppage in their battle of unbeaten pro rookies. Bostan had Isarti in trouble along the ropes, forcing referee Kevin Parker to stop the contest at 2:38 of round six in their DAZN ‘Before The Bell’ preliminary undercard headliner Saturday evening at Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England.
Harper will challenge for Rankin’s WBA/IBO junior middleweight titles this Saturday on DAZN from Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England. The fight comes just six months after Harper (12-1-1, 6KOs) moved up to lightweight from the 130-pound junior lightweight division.
Hughes, Galahad, Weights Photos - Maxi Hughes is ready to collide with Kid Galahad in a battle for the IBO world lightweight title at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on Saturday night, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding Australia and New Zealand).
The show goes on even in the absence of its local hero. Maxi Hughes and Kid Galahad are prepared to take the lead in their makeshift main event, as both made weight for their scheduled twelve-round IBO lightweight contest. The bout will headline a DAZN telecast Saturday evening from Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England.
Hannah Rankin is fully prepared to welcome Terri Harper to the junior middleweight division. The WBA/IBO 154-pound titlist from Glasgow didn’t hesitate when offered the chance to face Harper (12-1-1, 6KOs), a former junior lightweight titlist who only recently moved up to lightweight. The 25-year-old from Denaby Main, Yorkshire has now jumped up three more weight classes in a bid to become a two-division titlist as she challenges Rankin this Saturday at Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England.