Scotland’s Hannah Rankin failed in her bid to win the IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight titles on Saturday after being defeated by Claressa Shields of the United States.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist won a 10-round unanimous decision in a dominant display in Kansas, denying Rankin the chance to become the first female boxer from Scotland to win a world title.

Rankin, who lost her last fight against Alicia Napoleon in August, held her own in the first round as Shields sounded out her opponent, but the gap in experience began to show as early as the second.

Shields, producing the cleaner and more powerful work, seemed unfazed by Rankin’s shots and opened up in the ninth with a solid hook to sting the Scot.

Nevertheless, it was a gusty performance by the classically trained bassoonist and music teacher by day, but the unbeaten Shields was a level above in her quest to add the WBC belt to her IBF and WBA world middleweight haul.

All three judges at the Kansas Star Arena and Casino scored the fight 100-90.