Ricky Burns Ready for Nicky Cook
WBO super featherweight champion Ricky Burns expects to see the best of Nicky Cook next month – but still plans on sending him into retirement when they meet on July 16 at the Liverpool Echo Arena. “I believe that Nicky will be at the top of his game,” said Burns. “He will have got rid of his ring rust with his win in his last fight, and he’ll be coming up to Liverpool full of belief. But I will knock him out whatever shape he is in. That’s a promise. Cook is not good enough to live with me and I will break his heart. In fact, I think he will quit boxing after he has lost to me. You can’t afford to take breaks in this sport, and he is going to pay dearly for the time he has spent out of the ring. I’m younger, fresher and fitter and I will take him out on July 16.”
Burns completed some tough sparring with Paul Appleby, and trainer Billy Nelson believes he is in the shape of his life. “These two go at it every single day,” said Nelson. “It’s like they are having a world title fight when they spar, and that means Ricky will in peak condition when it comes to fighting Cook. I can’t believe that Cook has had sparring as good as Ricky’s, and that could be the key to victory in this fight.”