WBO News: Officials Named for Beltrán-Pedraza and Dogboe-Otake World Title Bouts This Weekend

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) announced the officials for two WBO World title bouts to be held this Saturday, August 25th in Arizona.

In the main event, WBO Lightweight (135 lbs) World Champion Raymundo Beltrán, from México, will face WBO ranked number two José Pedraza, from Puerto Rico.

For this bout, which will headline the card presented by Top Rank from the Gila River Arena in Glendale, the referee will be Tony Weeks, from the United States.

Arizona’s Rubin Taylor, as well as Lisa Giampa and Robert Hoyle, both from Nevada, were appointed judges for the bout. The WBO Supervisor will be WBO President Francisco “Paco” Valcárcel, Esq.

For Beltrán (35-7-1, 21 KOs), it will be his first defense of the title he won by beating WBO Africa Lightweight titlist Paulus Moses via unanimous decision. On his part, Pedraza (24-1, 12 KOs) is looking to be crowned a two division World Champion with a victory over Beltrán. He previously held a title as a Junior Lightweight (130 lbs).

In the co-main event of the evening, WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion Isaac Dogboe, from Ghana, will battle WBO ranked number six Hidenori Otake (31-2-3, 14 KOs), from Japan.

For this bout, the referee will be Chris Flores, from the United States.

Illinois’s Patrick Morley, Texas’s Javier Álvarez and Connecticut’s Glenn Feldman were appointed judges for the bout. The WBO Supervisor will be WBO Vice-President North America/Chairman of North American Boxing Organization Richard de Cuir.

For Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs), it will be his first defense of the title he won by defeating former WBO World Champion Jessie Magdaleno by 11-round knockout.

Beltrán-Pedraza and Dogboe-Otake will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action streaming live beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Photo by Mikey Williams

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Ray Beltran and Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe will head to the desert this Saturday for their first title defenses.

In the main event at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Beltran, who resides in nearby Phoenix, will defend the WBO Lightweight title against Jose “Sniper” Pedraza, a former junior lightweight world champion looking to bring another world title home to Puerto Rico. And, in the all-action co-feature, Dogboe will defend the WBO Junior Featherweight title against Hidenori Otake.

Beltran-Pedraza and Dogboe-Otake will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action streaming live beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Tickets to this world championship doubleheader, priced at $125, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable fees, go on sale Thursday, July 26 at 10 a.m PST. Tickets can be purchased at the Gila River Arena Box Office, by phone at 800.745.3000, or online at gilariverarena.com.

“I’m living the dream. It feels great to be a world champion. I am very motivated to defend my title, and it’s very special to me because I’m fighting in my adopted home,” Beltran said. “Pedraza is a very skillful fighter and is going to bring his best to take the belt from us, but I’m not just fighting for the belt, I’m also fighting to keep it in Phoenix and my birthplace of Los Mochis, Mexico. This belt represents my family’s future, and it’s going nowhere.”

“This is a great opportunity and a great challenge. Beltran is a veteran and is finally a world champion after trying for so long,” Pedraza said. “I think for that reason it’s going to be a great fight because he will not want to lose the title. I’m 100 percent prepared for war.”

“I’m making my first defense against Otake, a Japanese warrior. It’s going to be fireworks,” Dogboe said. “I’m not stepping back. We’re on a quest to make this division exciting and great again. We’re shaking up the division. Isaac ‘Royal Storm’ Dogboe, you all know I bring lightning and thunder!”

“I would like to express my appreciation to everyone who made this fight possible. I am truly grateful for this opportunity,” Otake said. “In capturing the world title for my first time on Aug. 25, I’d like to show everyone that age does not matter. Since comments can reveal strategy, I can’t say anymore.”

Beltran (35-7-1, 21 KOs) is a story of perseverance who finally broke through as a world champion five month shy of his 37th birthday. In his last bout, an ESPN-televised contest against Paulus Moses on Feb. 16 in Reno, Nevada, Beltran dug deep to win the vacant WBO lightweight title by unanimous decision. The scores — 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112 — did not reflect the back-and-forth nature of the bout. Once Manny Pacquiao’s chief sparring partner, Beltran had three previous cracks at a world title, most notably a 2013 draw against Ricky Burns that most ringside observers felt should have been a clear Beltran victory. The following year, he lost a wide unanimous decision to pound-for-pound elite Terence Crawford, who had beaten Burns to win the WBO lightweight crown. Beltran, a Phoenix resident who is originally from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, will be fighting in his adopted home state for the first time since 2005.

Pedraza (24-1, 12 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, is on a mission to become a two-weight world champion. A former IBF junior lightweight world champion who made two successful defenses of his title, he lost his belt via seventh-round TKO to Gervonta Davis in January 2017. Following a 14-month layoff, he moved up to the lightweight division and signed a promotional contract with Top Rank. Pedraza is 2-0 as a lightweight in 2018, winning an eight-round unanimous decision against Jose Luis Rodriguez on March 17 and a 10-round unanimous decision against Antonio Moran on June 9 as the co-feature to the Terence Crawford-Jeff Horn welterweight title bout in Las Vegas.

Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs) established himself as one of boxing’s best young champions in 2018 with a pair of signature victories. He knocked out Cesar Juarez in the fifth round on Jan. 6 in his hometown of Accra, Ghana, to win the interim WBO junior featherweight title. On April 28 in Philadelphia, Dogboe won the title in dramatic fashion, surviving a first-round knockdown to stop Jessie Magdaleno in the 11th round in a Fight of the Year contender. A 2012 Olympian, Dogboe had a rapid rise through the pro ranks, winning the WBO Oriental and WBO Africa featherweight titles en route to junior featherweight title contention. Boxing is in the Dogboe lineage as his father/trainer, Paul Dogboe, once served as a boxing coach and a physical instructor in the British Army.

Otake (31-2-3, 14 KOs), from Tokyo, has been a professional for more than 12 years and is riding a nine-bout winning streak dating back to Nov. 22, 2014. On that day, he challenged Scott Quigg for the WBA super bantamweight title, dropping a unanimous decision. He won the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title on March 17, 2017 with a unanimous decision against Jelbirt Gomera. Otake defended the OBPF title three times, most recently scoring a 10th-round TKO over Brian Lobetania in Tokyo on March 13.

Live at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona

Tickets on sale Friday at 10 a.m. PST

GLENDALE, Ariz. (July 23, 2018) — Ray Beltran and Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe will head to the desert on Aug. 25 for their first title defenses.

In the main event at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Beltran, who resides in nearby Phoenix, will defend the WBO lightweight title against Jose “Sniper” Pedraza, a former junior lightweight world champion looking to bring another world title home to Puerto Rico. And, in the all-action co-feature, Dogboe will defend the WBO junior featherweight title against Hidenori Otake.

Beltran-Pedraza and Dogboe-Otake will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action streaming live beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Tickets to this world championship doubleheader, priced at $125, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable fees, go on sale Thursday, July 26 at 10 a.m PST. Tickets can be purchased at the Gila River Arena Box Office, by phone at 800.745.3000, or online at www.gilariverarena.com.

“I’m living the dream. It feels great to be a world champion. I am very motivated to defend my title, and it’s very special to me because I’m fighting in my adopted home,” Beltran said. “Pedraza is a very skillful fighter and is going to bring his best to take the belt from us, but I’m not just fighting for the belt, I’m also fighting to keep it in Phoenix and my birthplace of Los Mochis, Mexico. This belt represents my family’s future, and it’s going nowhere.”

“This is a great opportunity and a great challenge. Beltran is a veteran and is finally a world champion after trying for so long,” Pedraza said. “I think for that reason it’s going to be a great fight because he will not want to lose the title. I’m 100 percent prepared for war.”

“I’m making my first defense against Otake, a Japanese warrior. It’s going to be fireworks,” Dogboe said. “I’m not stepping back. We’re on a quest to make this division exciting and great again. We’re shaking up the division. Isaac ‘Royal Storm’ Dogboe, you all know I bring lightning and thunder!”

“I would like to express my appreciation to everyone who made this fight possible.
I am truly grateful for this opportunity,” Otake said. “In capturing the world title for my first time on Aug. 25, I’d like to show everyone that age does not matter. Since comments can reveal strategy, I can’t say anymore.”

Beltran (35-7-1, 21 KOs) is a story of perseverance who finally broke through as a world champion five month shy of his 36th birthday. In his last bout, an ESPN-televised contest against Paulus Moses on Feb. 16 in Reno, Nevada, Beltran dug deep to win the vacant WBO lightweight title by unanimous decision. The scores — 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112 — did not reflect the back-and-forth nature of the bout. Once Manny Pacquiao’s chief sparring partner, Beltran had three previous cracks at a world title, most notably a 2013 draw against Ricky Burns that most ringside observers felt should have been a clear Beltran victory. The following year, he lost a wide unanimous decision to pound-for-pound elite Terence Crawford, who had beaten Burns to win the WBO lightweight crown. Beltran, a Phoenix resident who is originally from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, will be fighting in his adopted home state for the first time since 2005.

Pedraza (24-1, 12 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto, is on a mission to become a two-weight world champion. A former IBF junior lightweight world champion who made two successful defenses of his title, he lost his belt via seventh-round TKO to Gervonta Davis in January 2017. Following a 14-month layoff, he moved up to the lightweight division and signed a promotional contract with Top Rank. Pedraza is 2-0 as a lightweight in 2018, winning an eight-round unanimous decision against Jose Luis Rodriguez on March 17 and a 10-round unanimous decision against Antonio Moran on June 9 as the co-feature to the Terence Crawford-Jeff Horn welterweight title bout in Las Vegas.

Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs) established himself as one of boxing’s best young champions in 2018 with a pair of signature victories. He knocked out Cesar Juarez in the fifth round on Jan. 6 in his hometown of Accra, Ghana, to win the interim WBO junior featherweight title. On April 28 in Philadelphia, Dogboe won the title in dramatic fashion, surviving a first-round knockdown to stop Jessie Magdaleno in the 11th round in a Fight of the Year contender. A 2012 Olympian, Dogboe had a rapid rise through the pro ranks, winning the WBO Oriental and WBO Africa featherweight titles en route to junior featherweight title contention. Boxing is in the Dogboe lineage as his father/trainer, Paul Dogboe, once served as a boxing coach and a physical instructor in the British Army.

Otake (31-2-3, 14 KOs), from Tokyo, has been a professional for more than 12 years and is riding a nine-bout winning streak dating back to Nov. 22, 2014. On that day, he challenged Scott Quigg for the WBA super bantamweight title, dropping a unanimous decision. He won the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title on March 17, 2017 with a unanimous decision against Jelbirt Gomera. Otake defended the OBPF title three times, most recently scoring a 10th-round TKO over Brian Lobetania in Tokyo on March 13.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing,facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/espndeportes; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, @ESPN @ESPNBoxeo, @ESPNDeportes.

Use the hashtags #BeltranPedraza and #DogboeOtake to join the conversation on social media.

This afternoon, at the World Boxing Organization (WBO) headquarters in Puerto Rico, the purse bid for the mandatory fight between WBO Lightweight World Champion Raymundo Beltrán (35-7-1 , 21 KOs), from Mexico, and first-ranked Roman Andreev (21-0, 15 KOs), from Russia.

Top Rank won the rights for the fight with a successful bid of $ 252,000. Top Rank Vice President Carl Moretti, personally presented the winning bid. The fight is scheduled for Saturday, August 25 in Phoenix, Arizona.

The WBO exhorted both Top Rank and other promoters to submit their boxers to doping controls, not only immediately prior to and after the title fights, but throughout the entire training phase of both combatants.

Date:   Friday, May 1, 2015

VACANT WBO LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Chelsea Ballroom, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Promoter: Top Rank / Bob Arum

Supervisor:   Leon Panoncillo Jr.

Referee:  Tony Weeks

Judges:   Adalaide Byrd; Eric Cheek, Jerry Roth

Results:   Raymundo Beltrán lost the title on the scale. Beltran won over Takahiro Ao by technical knockout in the second round and, since the title was only online for Ao the title remained vacant.

TV: USA TruTV

Credit:  Photos by:  Naoki Fukuda –

Raymundo Beltran (initially weighs in at 136 pounds, weighs in an hour later at 135.4. He is therefore ineligible to win the vacant WBO title) vs. Takahiro Ao (134.8)

Mikael Zewski (146.8) vs. Konstantin Ponomarev (146.6)

Jessie Magdaleno (123.8) vs. Raul Hirales (126)

Egor Mekhontsev (174.5) vs. Hakim Zoulikha (174)

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/388263-photo-gallery-raymundo-beltran-takahiro-ao-weigh-in?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=photo-gallery-raymundo-beltran-takahiro-ao-weigh-in#/slide/1

Crawford dominated for 12 rounds, switching to southpaw at times to land shots, and making Mexico’s Beltran miss before counterpunching effectively.

The American pushed for the knockout in the final round but Beltran managed to hang on and landed a few hooks to keep the champion at bay.

Undefeated Crawford, who relieved Scotland’s Ricky Burns of the WBO title in March, extended his record to 25 straight wins.

“I felt he was slowing down,” said American Crawford, who was fighting in front of his hometown crowd at the CenturyLink Center arena in Omaha, Nebraska. “I didn’t want to get careless. I just stuck with what was working.

“I saw his eyes swollen but I just stuck to the game plan.”

Crawford, who came into the ring almost 20 pounds heavier than at the weigh-in, wants to move on from the 135-pound division to 140 pounds.

“This is it for (lightweight division)” Crawford said. “I’ve been at 135 since I was 17. I am 27 now. It is time to move up.”

Crawford landed 243 punches compared to just 96 for Beltran and also had a big lead in total punches thrown, 436-162.

Despite all the punishment he was taking, Beltran (29-7-1, 17 KOs) continued to plough forward and even had enough left in the tank to make it an entertaining 12th round.

“I prayed to God to give me the strength, but I forgot to pray to take it away from him,” Beltran said.

Russia’s Evgeny Gradovich kept his world title after fighting Jayson Velez to a draw in their featherweight fight on the undercard.

The three judges were deadlocked with one having Gradovich the winner 117-111 and another gave it to Velez 115-113. The third scored it even 114-114.

Both fighters remained unbeaten with Gradovich moving to 19-0-1, nine KOs and Velez on 22-0-1, 16 KOs.

http://www1.skysports.com/boxing/news/12040/9586803/boxing-terence-crawford-beats-ray-beltran-to-retain-wbo-lightweight-crown

Date:  Saturday, November 29, 2014

WBO  LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:  CenturyLink Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Promoter:   Top Rank / Bob Arum

Supervisor:   John Duggan

Referee:  Mark Nelson

Judges:  Adelaide Byrd (119-109),  Bill Lerch (120-108), Cesar Ramos (119-109)

Results:   The WBO Lightweight Champion Terence Crawford retained the title with a unanimous decision over his contender Raymundo Beltran.

TV:   USA HBO     Hungary Sport 1

RICKY BURNS has been granted his wish of a second world title battle with big-hitting Mexican Raymundo Beltran.

The WBO lightweight champion will meet Beltran for a second time in five months with his belt up for grabs in Glasgow early in February.

On September 7, the Scot had his jaw broken in the second round of their first meeting and was decked in the eighth on his way to a hotly-disputed and fortunate draw against the challenger in what was, nonetheless, one of the most courageous performances ever witnessed in a Scottish ring.

But, to his credit, and despite having had a titanium plate inserted in his jaw and offered a big-money match up in Madison Square Garden with US star Terence Crawford, Burns has remained true to his word Beltran would get a re-match.

Now the champ’s manager Alex Morrison has confirmed: “Eddie Hearn has reached an agreement with Beltran’s people for a rematch in Glasgow in February next year.

“Ricky made it clear from the moment the first fight between the two was over that he felt he owed Beltran a second chance and that speaks volumes for the type of man he is.

“After suffering the type of injury he did, many a fighter would be loath to go back in the ring, never mind face the same opponent again who had inflicted these injuries.

“But Ricky is the most honest man you will ever meet and he knows he must set the record straight in the second fight.

“Obviously, we had other options, but for Ricky the honourable thing to do was to give Beltran a second chance.

“He may have that, but I think this time Beltran will find out just how good Ricky is at his best.”

There are urgent areas of improvement required in his performance if he is not to be found impaled on Beltran’s left hook once more.

The champion’s professional career spans back to the night of his pro debut at the Kelvin Hall on October 20, 2001, against journeyman Woody Greenway on the undercard of Olympic champion Audley Harrison.

Since then, two kinks have remained in the Burns armour and that has been his tendency to remain rigidly upright with his jaw out and his failure to bring his right hand back to cover it after he has thrown a punch.

A brutally-honest big Alex admitted Burns will have to do better to prevail next time.

He said: “Ricky made mistakes in the first fight and learned some very painful lessons.

“But, come February, I have every confidence he will put a performance together which proves that point and puts Beltran to bed once and for all.”

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/boxing/ricky-ready-to-set-raymundo-record-straight-in-rematch-140457n.22510609

Scottish boxer Ricky Burns says he would be happy to give Raymundo Beltran a rematch once his broken jaw has had time to recover.

The WBO lightweight champion suffered the injury in last month’s controversial draw with the Mexican in Glasgow.

The challenger looked to have done enough to beat Burns when the pair met at the SECC arena in Glasgow and had the Coatbridge boxer on the floor in the eighth round.

However, the judges could not agree on the winner, allowing the 30-year-old home favourite to keep the belt via a split decision draw.

‘I think it’s only right to fight Raymundo again,’ said Burns. ‘I think it’s the fight the fans want to see.

My jaw is on the mend. It’s healing the way it should. I’ve been doing light training and hopefully I’ll be back boxing in five to six weeks.

‘The pain was unbelievable and the surgeon said it was stupidity. It’s just the way I am. If I’m in a fight, I’ll fight to the end.’

Burns admitted that he considered his future in the sport in the immediate aftermath of his injury, which was sustained in the second round of the September 7 contest.

‘I don’t know how I managed to get through it,’ he said. ‘The pain was unbelievable and the surgeon said it was stupidity. It’s just the way I am. If I’m in a fight, I’ll fight to the end.

‘I think people knew that wasn’t the real me in that ring. I was in survival mode from the second round.

‘I wouldn’t say it crossed my mind that I would never fight again but I was thinking ‘is the same thing going to reoccur?’’

A second fight with Beltran is not the only possibility for Burns, who is part of promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable.

Undefeated American Terence Crawford remains the WBO’s mandatory challenger, while a third option would be a unification fight. IBF champion Miguel Vazquez would be the likely opponent if Burns’ camp went down that route.

A planned meeting between Burns and Vazquez in London was cancelled at short notice in March, with the Mexican IBF champion citing a viral infection.

http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/09/ricky-burns-keen-to-set-the-record-straight-against-raymundo-beltran-4139853/

Ricky Burns regresó a casa luego de la intervención quirúrgica para reparar su mandíbula facturada que sostuvo ante Raymundo Beltrán por el título OMB de los ligeros, según el promotor del campeón, Eddie Hearn.

El boxeador de Coatbridge de 30 años, sufrió una fractura en el segundo ante el mexicano en el SECC en Glasgow pero a pesar de estar retrocediendo casi toda la pelea, pudo retener el título cuando los jueces vieron el combate como un empate.

Hearn subsecuentemente adujo que Burns, a quien le insertaron platinas de titanio en la quijada, enfrentará una batalla más difícil en tratar de recuperarse para volver a pelear.

El apoderado de Burns, Alex Morrison, insiste en que su pupilo volverá al ring. Esto comentó a STV: “Ricky esta algo adolorido pero no cabe duda que regresará a pelear. Tiene la visita de seguimiento en dos semanas y se espera que le tome alrededor de seis semanas para recuperarse. No me sorprendería de verlo en el gimnasio pronto para mantenerse en forma. Él está dispuesto a una revancha pero el equipo de Beltrán no está en posición para escoger, así que cualquier revancha será en Glasgow.” If you’re a gun owner, you may be on the hunt for some good weapon magazines to add to your shelf. Such publications can help you learn more about shooting, gun safety, and hunting. But which magazine is truly worth the monthly subscription fee? Here, you’ll find a ranked list of best gun magazines – visit AmmoCave – best place to shop ammo online to help you make the right choice! Often, online retailers can offer magazines at fantastic prices since they don’t have nearly the same operating costs as your local gun shop. Even with shipping accounted for, you may be able to save a few bucks. #ammo #ammocave

http://www.notifight.com/artman2/publish/Reporte_7/Afirman_que_Ricky_Burns_retornar.php

By:  Mike Dawes –

Ricky Burns will fight again despite breaking his jaw during the controversial draw with Raymundo Beltran on Saturday.

His promoter Eddie Hearn had said that the 30-year-old Scot’s future was in doubt and that he may never box again.

But Burns’ manager Alex Morrison is sure the WBO lightweight world champion will make a comeback.

‘Ricky will definitely fight again, one million per cent,’ Morrison told BBC Scotland.

‘I spoke to him this morning and he is definitely coming back, although when that will be, we don’t know.’

Many onlookers and pundits believe the 32-year-old Mexican Beltran had won the fight.

Burns had to have titanium plates inserted on to his jaw after suffering the injury in the second round, though he did continue through the full 12 rounds.

Painful: Eddie Hearn tweeted this picture of Ricky Burns with his swollen jaw in hospital

Morrisson also believes Burns owes Beltran another shot at the title, and even said Burns is keen for a rematch.

‘It’s the moral thing to do,’ he said. ‘Ricky wants to fight him again here in Scotland in front of another packed crowd.

‘But it will only take place here in Scotland. If Beltran wants a rematch, he’ll have to come here again.’

Earlier, Burns’ promoter Eddie Hearn said that Burns may never fight again.

‘Everyone’s talking about his next move. I can’t even guarantee he’ll box again at the moment,’ Hearn told the BBC.

‘It was a horrific injury to suffer. There have been a few occasions when people have boxed on with broken jaws – I couldn’t imagine anything worse – but they are extraordinary people, fighters, and he found the bravery to carry on.

‘The doctor, who doesn’t know a lot about boxing, was quite astonished when I told him he had boxed for half an hour with a broken jaw.

‘He asked if he had taken any shots on it and I told him that was the understatement of the year.

‘When I spoke to Beltran last night, he said he could hear him almost crying in clinches where the heads were going in on the jaw – unpleasant stuff, but he’s on the mend.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-2415991/Ricky-Burns-return-ring-says-manager-Alex-Morrison.html

Date:  September 7, 2013

Title:  WBO Lightweight Championship

Location:  Scottish Exhibition Centre, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

Promoter:  Matchroom Boxing/Eddie Hearn

Supervisor:  Dennis Gilmartin

Referee:  Phil Edwards

Judges:  Carlos Ortiz, Jr.  (115-112), Richard Davies (114-114) and Andre Van Grootenbruel  (113-115)

Results:  A 12-round split draw.  Burns suffered a broken jaw in the 2nd round.  Burns was knocked down in the 8th round.

By Phil Goodlad BBC Scotland–

Promoter Eddie Hearn claims Ricky Burns can be regarded as the best Scottish boxer ever if he defends his WBO lightweight title for the fourth time.

Burns faces Mexican challenger Raymundo Beltran on Saturday in Glasgow.

“The run of fights he’s had and the string of defences puts him up there as the greatest Scottish fighter of all time,” said Hearn.

Ricky Burns

• 38 fights, 36 wins (11 knock-outs), two losses
• WBO lightweight champion (2012 – two defences)
• WBO super featherweight champion (2009 – three defences)

“He doesn’t believe his own hype, which is great as a fighter. But he’s got to remember he’s a huge, huge talent.”

There are two Scots already in the International Boxing Hall of Fame – Benny Lynch and Ken Buchanan.

Benny Lynch

• 119 fights, 88 wins (34 knock-outs, 14 losses)
• NBA world flyweight champion (1935 – one defence)

Ken Buchanan

• 69 fights, 61 wins (27 knock-outs), eight losses
• WBA lightweight champion (1970 – three defences)
• WBC lightweight champion (1971)

And Hearn knows Burns will always play down his chances of being considered better than those fighters.

“He laughed at that because that’s what he’s like,” said Hearn. “I just believe that Ricky is a two-weight world champion.

“He carries the hope of a nation behind him, so he should be proud and the country should be proud of Ricky Burns.”

Burns’s bout with 32-year-old Beltran, a former sparring partner of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, comes after the Coatbridge boxer’s wife, Amanda, gave birth to their first child at the end of August.

But the 30-year-old insists the new arrival has not brought any distractions to his preparations.

“Things have been going along as normal,” said Burns. “Throughout the pregnancy, there’s been no complications, Amanda’s been great.

“Now the baby and that are home, I’ve been able to focus fully on the fight.”

Burns reckons it will be “a cracking fight” against Beltran.

“The fans are in for a real treat here,” added the Scot. “He comes to fight, I won’t need to go looking for him.

“We’ve trained for a hard 12 rounds because I believe this fight’s going to go the distance.

“I’m hoping to go out and get the win and then go for the big fights that Eddie was talking about.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/23963906

By Declan Warrington –

Ricky Burns believes that his last fight, against Jose Gonzalez, produced the ‘worst round’ of his career but insists that he will be fully prepared for Raymundo Beltran in the knowledge that he is unlikely to resist a brawl.

The WBO lightweight champion was in many ways fortunate to survive what was a difficult title defence against Gonzalez in May when the challenger retired after the ninth round with a wrist injury.

Burns is adamant, however, that he has learnt from that experience and will therefore not allow himself to become impatient or to repeat the same mistakes.

Fully prepared: Ricky Burns insists he will not be slipping up against Raymundo Beltran

‘I think when I watched that fight back, from the second round onwards you could see I was getting picked off and I was trying to force the fight. I was lunging in,’ he told Sky Sports.

‘I was getting caught with punches I shouldn’t of, which I shouldn’t have been doing. It’s alright saying it now that I’ve watched it back, but when you are in there, that’s when I should have clicked.

‘I enjoy the occasion, especially fighting in Glasgow it’s fantastic.

Talented: The Scot also says he will be putting the ‘worst round’ of his career behind him

‘(But) that last fight, the seventh round, I think that was the worst round in my whole boxing career. It’s the only time I have noticed the fans lift the roof off the place.

‘That’s the first time I paid attention to it.’

Saturday’s fight at Glasgow’s Scottish Exhibition Centre is Burns’ fourth defence of his world title, while his Mexican opponent fights at world-level for the first time. Beltran has spoken of his hunger and determination to beat the Scot but Burns is the classier fighter and says he has concentrated on the fundamentals in order to be fully prepared.

Close relationship: Burns is fighting for the second time since teaming up with Eddie Hearn

Determined opponent: Mexico’s Raymundo Beltran is fighting for a world title for the first time

‘We went back to basics a bit for this fight, we went back to boxing, but knowing me there is always a time when I’m going to be dragged into a fight,’ he said.

‘I don’t know what way I’m going to take this guy on Saturday night, one round at a time, but if it’s going to be toe-to-toe for 12 rounds, then I’m up for that.’

Over the course of 34 fights, Beltran has lost six and won 28.

Burns has suffered only two defeats in 38, the last of those against Carl Johanneson in 2007.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-2410111/Ricky-Burns-ready-worst-round-fights-Raymundo-Beltran.html

WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns insists there is no chance of fatherhood turning him soft.

The 30-year-old’s wife Amanda gave birth to an as yet unnamed baby boy last week amid his preparations for the fourth defence of his title against Raymundo Beltran at the SECC in Glasgow on Saturday night.

Before Tuesday’s press conference at the Fighting Scots Gym in Mossend, Lanarkshire, promoter Eddie Hearn joked that he had warned Burns not to let the emotions of fatherhood affect his mindset against the Mexican.

When asked if that was a possibility, the Coatbridge fighter said: “No, not at all. Boxing is my job, that is the way I look at it.

“Come Saturday night I know what I need to go out and do.

“First I need to win and then put on good performance, better than the last one.

“The last two or three months has been a nightmare.

“Moving house with the baby on its way, while trying to train for this fight.

“Amanda went into labour four o’clock on the Monday morning and didn’t have the baby until the Thursday morning, so she was in a while.

“It was just a nightmare but it is all done now so all my focus is on Saturday night.”

Burns’ desire to “do better than the last one” was a reference to his fight against Jose Gonzalez in May.

The impressive Puerto Rican challenger was ahead on points at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow but retired at the end of the ninth round with a damaged left hand.

“You are not always going to get it your own way in fights,” said Burns.

“But a champion shows that he can dig in and that’s what I done and got the win, which is the most important thing.

“Gonzalez was very good. At one point I felt my leg going a bit and that’s when he pounced on me, had me on the ropes and was unloading on me.

“But I came back with own punches. It is not in me to give in.

“I have always said that if I am going out I will go out swinging and when I caught him in the seventh that’s when the crowd took the roof off.

“But you learn from those fights. With Beltran, I don’t think I will have to go looking for him.

“He hasn’t come over here for nothing and he has not been one of the chief sparring partners of Manny Pacquiao for nothing.

“I know I am going to have to bring my A-game.

“He likes to get involved in a bit of a war but that doesn’t bother me.

“There will be times when In have to dig deep and stand my ground.

“Hopefully I will keep to my boxing but we will wait and see.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/burns-prepared-dig-deep-battle-back-with-beltran–69251

Coatbridge fighter ‘firing on all cylinders’ for Beltrán clash

By:  Ben Cohen –

http://www.journal-online.co.uk/article/10754-burns-ready-to-shine-in-wbo-title-defence

Ricky Burns will defend his WBO lightweight World title against Raymundo Beltran at the SECC in Glasgow on September 7, live on Sky Sports.

The Scotsman makes the fourth defence of his title against the highly rated Mexican after coming through a tough test against José González in May in Glasgow, with the Puerto Rican rattling the champion before Burns held onto his title after González retired ahead of the tenth round.

The 30 year old Coatbridge ace returned from an eight month absence from the ring to battle past González and is adamant he will turn on the style against Beltran.

“It’s great to be back out again in Glasgow and against another tough opponent,” said Burns. “It was a tricky night against José but I got myself through it like a true champion does and I will be looking to step up a gear against Beltran, who I know will be coming to Scotland full of confidence, so it should be another great night in Glasgow.

“Raymundo is coming over to cause an upset and take the title – and it’s a chance he has earned. But there will be no mistakes from me on the night and you’ll see the best of me in there.”

Beltran, 31, enters the fight on the back of three straight wins and is ready to grasp his first World title shot with both hands.

“I have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time,” said Beltran. “I have been on the wrong side of some close decisions but I have never quit on myself or my goal to be World champion.

“I will prepare for a long night and a hard fight. He is the champion so he won’t give it to me I have to take it from him. I am not flying across the ocean to just show up. He’s going to know that he’s in a war and he’s going to know this was no tune up or stay busy fight for him. I have never fought easy fights. Whatever it takes to win – knock out, points, it will be a definitive for me so no one can question that I deserve to be the champion. He has had his time and I respect him now but the night of the fight he will get none until it’s over. Then its two warriors who have respect again. But he’s in for 12 rounds or less with me giving my all.

“This is for my family, my kids, so I can give them a good future. I’m taking them into the ring with me in my heart. You know it’s hard to explain but I’m excited to be here and now that I am here I am not going to just take it for granted. It’s too important. It proves that of you never give up your time will come. Sooner or later it will come. Then it’s up to you.

“Ricky Burns will no longer be the champion when he wakes up on Sept 8th because I’m taking his belt the night before.”

“Ray Beltran is the Mexican buzzsaw who is always in the kind of action fight that fans like to see. Beltran will fight in a real entertaining battle against Ricky Burns. British boxing fans are in for a real treat,” said Bob Arum, CEO, Top Rank.

“This has always been a fight that stylistically makes sense,” said show promoter Eddie Hearn. “Beltran is a hugely entertaining and tough opponent who is on a hot run and ranked impressively across the governing bodies. Fans can expect a great main event and a deep card as Ricky continues his journey in the 135 pound division.”

Hearn revealed the early undercard at a press conference today in Glasgow, and said Scottish fans can expect a great night of action with John Simpson, Stephen Simmons, Scotty Cardle and David Brophy all fighting and more names to be announced soon.

http://www.boxingscene.com/ricky-burns-i-step-up-gear-with-ray-beltran–67038