Hannah Rankin says she is determined to stop at nothing in her bid to become a world champion for the third time.

The Luss boxer will face former European title challenger Naomi Mannes for the World Boxing Association (WBA) continental super welterweight belt in Liverpool on Friday, April 26.

Mannes has stepped up in a late switch to the programme, which was originally to see the Rankin take on Tanzania’s Grace Mwakamele.

The former Hermitage Academy pupil is aiming to bounce back after losing out to Eva Kozin for the WBC and WBO world titles in Manchester last November.

And she's determined that victory on Friday will open the door to a world title bout before the end of this year.

She told the Advertiser: "I am really excited to get back in the ring. It's the first time that I am boxing in Liverpool and I am raring to go to get my hands on that title.

"It will be my first step back in the game, and I am determined to go in there with my hand raised at the end of the night.

"I just want to go in there and do what I do best, give a great performance and excite fans."

Rankin's preparations for that November took a hit when her gran was taken to hospital in the run-up to the fight with Kozin.

She raced back home after the points defeat to be with her gran before she died a few days later.

 

The 33-year-old will step back into the ring for her 21st professional fight, but reflects on how losing a family member has affected her and what this next fight will mean.

 

"I had quite a difficult time last year with my gran dying," Rankin continued. "She was one of my biggest supporters.

"This next fight I am dedicating to her. I want to go out there and do her proud.

"I am sure her and my mum are watching from up in heaven, so I will always have them with me on fight night.

"My last fight resulted in a split decision. I thought I had done enough to win the world titles, but it went the other way which was very frustrating.

"My goal is to get my hands on that world title by the end of the year."

And while Rankin is fully focused on winning Friday night's fight, and the belt that goes with it, she has plenty more to look forward to as well.

"I'm going to be the main event on Box Nation," she said. "It's the first time Box Nation has been back for the last eight years or so.

"I am very honoured to be the main event on their first live show back and it is something very exciting for me to look forward to.

"I am also doing commentary for the Olympics in the summer.

"It's an area that I've really fallen in love with that I actually never imagined myself being involved in, but I basically get to be a geek about the sport that I love on the microphone."