Ricky Burns Returns to Defend his Title – Boxing News

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

It’s been announced.

Scotland’s first 3-weight world champion will have his first defense of his new title, in Glasgow on the 7th October against undefeated Kiryl Relikh, 21-0, 19 KO’s. Ricky “The Rickster” Burns, 40-5-1, 14 KO’s goes in with the weight of expectation of a nation hanging around his shoulders but with a smile and a skip knowing that he has already got himself into the history books.

The WBA have acted swiftly to order a mandatory defense and as Relikh is under the tutelage of former world champion, Ricky Hatton this is a great match for the UK audience.

It shall, of course, be another massive night in Glasgow as we make enough noise to outdo the Coliseum but on every set of lips in Glasgow will be, who is this guy Ricky is fighting? Knowing where you are in the market is key to exploiting it and let’s be honest, the wee guy from Coatbridge – that’s Ricky Burns – is this guy’s meal ticket and not the other way around. This is not the big fights we were promised once Ricky had achieved that massive milestone.

In the ring on that evening Eddie Hearn was specifically asked who was next for our treasured boxer and he said, anyone he wants. Did Ricky want this guy next? Well no – the WBA did and this is the guy’s big chance – which he no doubt deserves.

Not long afterwards Burns having won his 3rd world title, the name that came out of everywhere rather than nowhere was Ashley Theophane 39-7-1, 11 KO’s. Theophane, in my view was an ideal candidate for the first defense. He is a guy who may not be in his first flush of youth and comes with a bit of a pedigree – don’t be fooled by those 7 losses. It might just be the right time to get him and make a splash in the domestic market.

The big fights, the truly massive ones are encounters we are not so willing to risk Burns in as an audience and support. we may be on cloud 9 with him but we are also realistic. We saw him steal one against Raymondo Beltran 30-7-1, 18 KO’s, lose to Dejan Zlatacanin 22-0, 15 KO’s and be outclassed by Terence Crawford 29-0, 22 KO’s. Ricky, getting into the ring with the big names excites us but kinda scares us at the same time…

And yet, this is the level at which he enjoys his best success. When he was losing there were plenty saying he should be back down at domestic level. At UK level there were plenty of decent fights, we heard but there were no real and great blockbusters. Now we are seeing the possibility of massive fights out there but he has to get past this one first. Then he can dream and so can we… and then a name pops up.

According to rumor Adrien Broner 32-2, 24 KO’s – ironically the last guy to fight and beat Theophane – the 4 weight former world champion is next on the hit list. Now that is a massive fight and Burns would crawl over broken glass to get into the ring with Broner. It would be one of the big fights and no doubt bring a few dollars into Burns’ retirement fund.

Right now though, he has a fight to concentrate on and the rumors are that he is doing just that as he starts his camp to be ready in time. Burns has never struggled in camp and is constantly in the gym anyway, ensuring that camps do not drain him. With his lift up in weight there has been little to diminish his power or his speed so this guy is going to be facing a very tough opponent in Glasgow’s Hydro on 7th October. The nation awaits, the nation expects and we are all sure that, this time round and once again, Burns shall deliver.

[si-contact-form form=’2′]