Hannah Rankin v Terri Harper: Challenger dismisses weight concerns before WBA world title tilt
- Published
Terri Harper is moving up three weight classes to challenge Hannah Rankin
Hannah Rankin v Terri Harper - WBA light-middleweight title |
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Venue: Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham Date: Saturday, 24 September |
Coverage: Follow live text commentary and reaction from 21:00 BST on BBC Sport website & app. |
Terri Harper has warned Hannah Rankin she is "comfortable" fighting at light-middleweight.
Harper, 25, is moving up three weight classes to challenge WBA world champion Rankin for her title on Saturday in Nottingham.
Harper said: "I think Hannah believes I'm very quiet and timid and shy - I'm here to show everyone that I have got my own voice.
"I can stand up for myself, I guess I've just got to fight."
Rankin and Harper are the co-main event at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena where Maxi Hughes defends his IBO lightweight title against Kid Galahad.
Harper is a former world champion at super-featherweight and said she was "unhappy" at her previous weight and believes this weight division is what she should be fighting at.
"I feel like a lot of people don't realise that I walk around naturally at 10, 12 or 11 stone," she said.
"So me cutting down 24 pounds down to make super-featherweight, that was reckless.
"I was fighting world-class fighters under-fuelled, fatigued and unhappy - when I got this opportunity to go up so many weight divisions, I just know I feel comfortable at this weight."
Rankin, the first Scottish female world champion, has five losses on her record compared to Harper's one, but is the more experienced fighter in the pro game.
The 32-year-old said: "I don't see anything but my arm raised on Saturday."
Rankin has gone from strength-to-strength since claiming the IBO title last year and is still hopeful a unification clash with WBO and WBC champion Natasha Jonas can happen next year.
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"There's some very exciting fights out there, unification with Tasha is obviously on the cards, it's one of those things where it just fuels my fire for fight night on Saturday," Rankin said.
She added: "I don't think Terri is good enough to be in this weight division.
"This weight class is a big step up, I don't think she will be the same fighter because things change when you add weight to the frame, that's just how it is.
"I'm expecting a better version of Terri Harper on the night she's a four-time world champion for a reason."
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- Published16 October 2022
