Date: Saturday, March 1, 2014
WBO Lightweight Championship Title
Location: Scottish Exhibition Centre, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Promoter: Matchroom Boxing
Supervisor: István Kovács
Referee: Luis Pabón
Judges: Salven Lugumbay (116-112), Alejandro Lopez Cid (117-111), Zoltan Envedi (116-112)
Result: Terence Crawford obtained the WBO Lightweight Title by unanimous decision.
Ricky Burns says he will thrive as the 2:1 underdog in his WBO World Lightweight title defense against Terence Crawford at the sold-out SECC in Glasgow tomorrow night, live on AWE TV. Burns fights in his tenth World title bout against the unbeaten American, who travels to the UK with a 22-0 record with 16 wins inside the distance and the label of the USA’s next big boxing star.
Burns insists he has no interest in what the bookies have to say about the fight though, having reached this incredible feat of ten World title fights against the odds from his very first win against Roman Martinez in September 2010. “I don’t look at who is the favourite, that sort of thing doesn’t concern me,” said Burns. “I’ve been written off before, I’ve been the underdog in a few of my biggest fights and it brings out the best in me, and hopefully this is the same case. I’m under no illusions; this is a very tough fight. He’s an up and coming star in America, he’s 22-0 with 16 KOs, so we’re up against it, but fingers crossed it’s another one of these fights where I will rise to the occasion.”
Crawford boxes outside the US for the first time in the paid ranks, and the clash also represents his first 12-round fight. The American has banked 81 rounds in his pro career, the same number Burns has boxed in his World title fights to date, and 200 fewer than the Scot – and the defending champion says that experience could be a key factor as he aims to thrill his hostile home crowd.
“As the fight goes on, I know what it feels like when things aren’t going your way in a World title fight and what it takes to grind it out and dig in for a result,” said Burns. “In all his fights he’s been able to do what he wants, because he is such a slick boxer, he’s getting in and out, likes to wait on you and get his counters in – how is he going to like it when I am in his face for 12 rounds at a pace that he is not used to? I know when it comes down to it, I can go to war at full pelt for 12 rounds, and we’ll see if he can match that.
“It’s always great fighting in Glasgow – how is he going to react walking first into the packed SECC? It’s going a sell-out and the atmosphere will be electric, I can’t wait. How will he cope with the pressure and the fans booing him? We can only wait until the night, and once the bell goes it just comes down to us. I don’t need to ask the fans to roar me on because they are unbelievable and they do it for every fight.”
Burns’ World title defence against Crawford tops a great line-up of action in Glasgow, with Olympic Super Heavyweight Gold medal star Anthony Joshua MBE facing Hector Avila in his fifth pro contest.
John Simpson meets John Murray in a tasty Lightweight clash, while unbeaten Lightweight contender Scotty Cardle takes on Paul Appleby in an eight-round contest.
Joshua’s fellow Olympic medallist Anthony Ogogo is in action, Caldercruix Super Middleweight David Brophy looks to build on his 9-0-1 record on the bill, Glasgow Super Featherweight Michael Roberts can move to 14-0 with a win, former Team GB starlet Martin J. Ward is in six-round action while there is a trio of Scottish talents in four-round bouts in 20 year old Irvine Super Featherweight Ryan Collins, Wishaw’s Bantamweight Scott Allan and a debut for Glasgow’s Lightweight Ryan Smith.
http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/burns-tells-crawford-beware-the-underdog-237978#more-237978
Photo: sportinglive.com/google images/
When Ricky Burns climbs into the ring at the SECC in Glasgow on March 1 to defend his WBO lightweight title against unbeaten American challenger, Terence Crawford, he will be entitled to feel like a man returning to the scene of a crime he never committed but was convicted, tried, and found guilty of nonetheless.
The trials and tribulations that Burns endured in 2013 were more than staggering they were inhuman, even for a fighter as experienced as he is. Not once but twice he was forced to reach down into that place which resides in every human being but in normal people is buried so deep after years spent avoiding risk, danger, and hardship that they don’t even know it exists; and even if they did they would have no need of it anyway. It’s called the human spirit and from it is derived the will to endure unspeakable agony in the process of prevailing against seemingly insurmountable odds.
The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, once wrote: “When you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.”
Make no mistake, in the ring against both Jose Gonzalez and Ray Beltran, Ricky Burns looked into an abyss. What he saw looking back at him is something he alone knows. What we do know is that it was enough to provide him with the inner strength to keep going beyond the point where human logic and instinct ends and the will to survive is predicated on the courage to risk everything in the attempt.
Burns risked everything in both fights, refusing to capitulate, which against Gonzalez saw him survive an onslaught in the 7th round which the Puerto Rican and his team must still watch in awe at the Scot’s defiance of the laws of nature. Just as it broke his heart on the night, it’s a fair bet that Jose Gonzalez suffers a broken heart every time he thinks about what might have been – in fact make that ‘should have been’ – but wasn’t.
Yet even though the world champion’s victory – the dramatic nature of it – was rightly met by huge admiration for the heart and guts he showed, we knew that on the night we had witnessed a below par Ricky Burns do what all great champions do and find a way to win when the chips are down.
Against Raymundo Beltran a few months later, Burns only held onto his title by dint of the kind of judging that brings boxing into disrepute. Yet given that he’d fought ten rounds with a broken jaw, the miracle is that he managed to last the distance at all. Ray Beltran and his team were justified in feeling they were victims of an injustice, and going by the silence that met the result, most of the crowd agreed. But no blame can be attributed to Ricky Burns. What it has done where the world champion is concerned is cast doubt in the minds of many over his ability to hold onto his title against his next opponent, Terence Crawford, commonly regarded as the best he will face in his career to date.
These doubts are all the more reason to back Burns to prevail yet again, reminding us of the way he was written off against Roman ‘Rocky’ Martinez when he challenged for the super featherweight title in 2010, proving the doubters wrong with an epic performance that involved him picking himself off the canvas in the first round to go an comprehensively outbox the defending world champion and take his title by unanimous decision. Thereafter the Scot successfully defended his super featherweight title three times before moving up in weight to battle it out for the WBO interim lightweight title against Michael Katsidis. This was another fight that Burns was expected to lose, with many convinced he’d be steamrollered into submission by a fighter known to possess real juice in his hands. The naysayers were forced to eat their words again, however, as Burns proceeded to absorb everything the Australian warrior had while countering with the cleaner shots throughout to outbox his opponent and register another deserved unanimous decision.
Anyone following the Scottish world champion’s career knows that the bigger the challenge and the more he’s written off the better he performs. Going in as the underdog in the minds of most against Crawford, combined with the added mental strength he undoubtedly would have gained from surviving a torrid 2013, means that motivation won’t be an issue in this training camp. That said, Burns’s long time trainer, Billy Nelson, is not merely relying on his fighter’s proven qualities of will and grit to see him through against the unbeaten American on March 1. While speaking to him briefly at the presser to formally announce the fight back in January, Nelson took pains to point out that he’d introduced a strength and conditioning coach into the camp for the first time, which he said was already paying dividends in increasing the power of Ricky’s shots, and that he’d arranged for the champion to have the best sparring he’s ever had. Incidentally, the word coming out is that Burns has looked sensational in sparring these past few weeks, and against sterling opposition, as he prepares to embark on his tenth world title fight.
What is certain is that Nelson will be leaving nothing to chance as he prepares Burns to face an opponent most expect to defeat him. At the presser the proprietor of the Fighting Scots Gym near Glasgow predicted it would be the hardest fight of both their careers. There is every reason to agree. Ricky Burns has already proved he’s willing to walk through hell in the ring in order to prevail. His intensity, volume, work rate, and aggression – married to an undoubted ability to box that was absent in his last two fights – ensures that any fighter who expects to take his title will need to be willing to go to a place most never have to.
Terence Crawford should take note.
When Ricky Burns climbs into the ring at the SECC in Glasgow on March 1 to defend his WBO lightweight title against unbeaten American challenger, Terence Crawford, he will be entitled to feel like a man returning to the scene of a crime he never committed but was convicted, tried, and found guilty of nonetheless.
The trials and tribulations that Burns endured in 2013 were more than staggering they were inhuman, even for a fighter as experienced as he is. Not once but twice he was forced to reach down into that place which resides in every human being but in normal people is buried so deep after years spent avoiding risk, danger, and hardship that they don’t even know it exists; and even if they did they would have no need of it anyway. It’s called the human spirit and from it is derived the will to endure unspeakable agony in the process of prevailing against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Read more at http://www.eastsideboxing.com/2014/ricky-burns-is-preparing-for-war-against-terence-crawford-on-march-1/#bbd2I2lP8Fpo8vrS.99
By Edward Chaykovsky –
Billy Nelson, trainer of WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (36-2-1, 11 KOs), wants his fighter to be “extra busy” against mandatory challenger Terrence Crawford (22-0, 16KOs). The fight is scheduled for March 1 at the Scottish Exhibition Centre in Glasgow, Scotland. Burns is returning from a controversial twelve round draw with Raymundo Beltran last September, where the Scottish fighter had his jaw badly broken.
Nelson wants his fighter to overwhelm Crawford with punches, not allowing the undefeated challenger to get started.
“I want Ricky to be in the middle of the ring, to work his jab, to dictate the distance and stop his punches and come over the top and rock his body. I want him to be extra busy and take Terence out of his comfort zone,” Nelson told Sky Sports Ringside.
Burns agreed with his train, stating: “I’m going to be using my jab in this fight. A fight can won off the jab.”
http://www.boxingscene.com/burns-trainer-wants-activity-jab-use-on-crawford–74512
On Saturday afternoon, March 1st, Ricky Burns will make his 4th defense of the WBO Lightweight title when he takes on highly regarded and undefeated Terence Crawford in a 12-round bout from the Scottish Exhibition Centre in Glasgow, Scotland.
The fight can be viewed live and exclusively across the United States on AWE, A Wealth of Entertainment.
“This world title fight showdown has the makings of a ‘fight of the year’. Crawford is undefeated and coming off some big wins. Burns is a proven champ. We’re ecstatic to be bringing this world-class title fight to boxing fans across the United States”, said Charles Herring, president of AWE.
Burns of Coatbridge, Scotland has a record of 36-2-1 with 11 knockouts and has not lost a fight in over seven years which spans 22 fights. He won the WBO Super Featherweight title with a thrilling 12 round unanimous decision over Roman Martinez. He made three defenses of his crown which includes wins over Andreas Evensen and Joseph Laryea. Burns then stopped former WBO Super featherweight champion Nicky Cook in one round.
Burns moved up to Lightweight and in his first fight at the higher weight class, he scored a 12 round unanimous decision over former champion Michael Katsidis to win the WBO Interim title.
Burns won the full title with a 12 round unanimous decision over former WBA champion Paulus Moses. Burns looked great in taking out fellow United Kingdom fighter Kevin Mitchell in four rounds. He then was able to outlast undefeated Jose Gonzalez when Gonzalez was forced to retire on the stool after the 9th round.
In his last bout, Burns fought through a broken jaw to salvage a controversial draw with Ray Beltran on September 7, 2013.
In the bout, Burns started off fast, but Beltran responded. By the end of the fight, many US boxing fans felt that Beltran should have walked away with the title belt.
Burns is 8-0-1 in world title fights.
Crawford of Omaha, Nebraska will be making his 1st attempt at a world title and brings in a perfect ledger at 22-0 with 16 knockouts.
The 26-year old is widely regarded as one of the top fighters in the division and has been performing at a high level.
He started to open eyes when he scored a shutout victory over hard-hitting power puncher Breidis Prescott on March 30, 2013.
Crawford followed that up with a 6-round beat down of Alejandro Sanabria (34-1-1) on June 15, 2013.
In his last bout, Crawford showed his terrific boxing ability by winning via shutout on all three judges’ score cards against previously undefeated Andrey Klimov (16-0) on October 5, 2013 in Orlando, Florida.
There will be a full undercard which will include a world title bout featuring WBA Super Bantamweight champion Scott Quigg announced shortly.
By Terence Dooley
Eddie Hearn of Matchroom has told BoxingScene.com that the WBO lightweight title fight between Ricky Burns and America’s Terence Crawford has been postponed until a later date.
The fight was due to take place at Glasgow’s Hydro venue on February 8th, but is now likely to be rescheduled for March 1, for reasons beyond the control of either camps. Burns has until March 8 to stage his mandatory title defense, as per WBO rules.
It was due to be Burns’s first bout since suffering a broken jaw during his draw with Raymundo Beltran in September. The 30-year-old Coatbridge-based titlist battled through the pain barrier that night to keep his title and had to have surgery on the injury.
Burns (36-2, 11KO) has battled back to full health and was duly rewarded with a tough mandatory by the WBO, who have put Crawford, 22-0 (16), forward as the main contender.
The 26-year-old Nebraskan posted wins over Breidis Prescott, Alejandro Sanabria, for the vacant WBO NABO lightweight belt, and Andrey Klimov during 2013. The rising contender was prepared to travel to Scotland to attempt to wrest the title from Burns, who has defended it four times since beating Michael Katsidis for the interim belt in November 2011.
More to follow…
http://www.boxingscene.com/burns-crawford-title-tilt-postponed-3-1-likely-new-date–72936
By David P. Greisman –
Lightweight contender Terence Crawford could soon be challenging for a world title. The World Boxing Organization has mandated negotiations between him and beltholder Ricky Burns.
They have through the first week of December to come to terms, or else the match will go to purse bid.
That would be a good start to 2014 for Crawford after a very good 2013. He made his HBO debut in March with a decision win over Breidis Prescott, returned to HBO in June to score a technical knockout over Alejandro Sanabria, then appeared on the network for his third time in October, outpointing Andrey Klimov.
The 26-year-old from Omaha, Neb., is now 22-0 with 16 knockouts. He spoke to BoxingScene.com on Nov. 14.
BoxingScene.com: The WBO has mandated that Ricky Burns defend his belt against you. What are your thoughts on getting your first world title shot?
Crawford: “Right now we’re in the process of negotiating and everything. So nothing’s really set in stone right now.”
BoxingScene.com: Sure, but the fact that you could be getting your first title shot, how do you feel about that?
Crawford: “I feel good about it. I feel like it’s a long time of waiting.”
BoxingScene.com: “What do you think of Ricky Burns as a fighter? What does he do well, and what do you think are weaknesses you can exploit?”
Crawford: “I feel he moves well. He throws jabs. He’s got a nice little jab. He’s a decent fighter. I can’t take nothing away from him.”
BoxingScene.com: And what do you feel you can exploit in his game?
Crawford: “A lot. He’s fighting my fight, I feel like. I’m just a better fighter.”
BoxingScene.com: In what ways are you a better fighter?
Crawford: “My speed, my power, my ring generalship, me being able to mix it up in there.”
BoxingScene.com: Would you be willing to travel to Scotland to face him?
Crawford: “Yeah, most definitely. If the price is right, and everything’s fair. I’m just a little skeptical about going all the way out there, and getting the same thing done to me that [Ray] Beltran got done to him.”
BoxingScene.com: What did you think of that Beltran fight?
Crawford: “I thought Beltran won, hands down. I thought there should’ve been no question about who won that fight.”
BoxingScene.com: Did you see Burns’ fight with Jose Gonzalez as well?
Crawford: “Yeah, Gonzalez was winning until he got tired and just quit. I don’t understand that.”
BoxingScene.com: As you’ve seen his past two fights, do you see Burns as being vulnerable, especially coming off a broken jaw?
Crawford: “No. I actually think he will come back hungrier after having two bad performances and trying to make a statement and try to put himself back on top of the list at 135.”
BoxingScene.com: You started the year with HBO debut and have been on three times in total. What has this 2013 been like for you?
Crawford: “It’s been good. 2013 was a good year. I’m just looking forward. That’s the past. I’m looking for 2014 being a great year: becoming champion and start from there.”
BoxingScene.com: What would becoming a world titleholder mean for you?
Crawford: “It would mean everything for me. A lot of people are counting on me and depending on me to bring the title back so that they can have something to cheer for.”
BoxingScene.com: Thinking back to your fight in March with Breidis Prescott, that decision ended up working out for you, taking that bout on short notice and moving up in weight to face him. What was on your mind when that bout was offered to you?
Crawford: “No question came to my mind. The first thing that came to my mind was ‘I can beat him.’ The second thing was, ‘What weight?’ And then the third thing was, ‘Are they going to take the fight?’ ”
BoxingScene.com: It was like a gamble and an investment for you, an opportunity that you had to take, because if you said ‘No,’ you might end up waiting around for a bit.
Crawford: “Right, right, right. That was the whole thing, like, if we didn’t take it, we would’ve still been fighting on undercards. I felt like it was a big risk, big reward type of fight.”
BoxingScene.com: Bob Arum told me before your last fight that he has high expectations for you. What do you want to do with your career?
Crawford: “I want to take my career to the next level, to be on the pound-for-pound list and be one of the all-time greats.”
BoxingScene.com: And do you see yourself staying at 135 for a long time, or eventually moving up?
Crawford: “I eventually see myself moving up to 140, 147.”
BoxingScene.com: What do you walk around at?
Crawford: “Right now I’m at 154.”
BoxingScene.com: What were your thoughts on those who felt like your bout with Andrey Klimov wasn’t as entertaining as it could’ve been?
Crawford: “I look at it like this: There’s fighters that like boxing styles. There’s fighters that go in and get their head beat in and go to the hospital and have brain damage. I look at the sport as being called ‘boxing,’ not ‘fighting.’ It’s an art, and it’s hit and not get hit. That’s what the sport is called.”
BoxingScene.com: At the same time, do you need to make sure that you can do that while still entertaining in your next fight?
Crawford: “Yeah. That fight right there, it was kind of a tough fight. I did everything I felt I had to do to win the fight. But you need to have a guy willing to engage and fight you, and with someone throwing like 15 punches a round, it’s kind of hard to put on a show.”
http://www.boxingscene.com/crawford-i-expect-hungrier-ricky-burns-if-we-fight–72062
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.”
By Edward Chaykovsky –
According to manager Alex Morrison, WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (36-2-1, 11KOs) will meet rival Ray Beltran (28-6-1, 17KOs) for a second time on a date in early February in Glasgow, Scotland. They first collided on September 7, where Burns was dropped in the eight and had his jaw badly broken. Burns went on to retain his title with a very controversial twelve round draw, which even the UK press disagreed with.
Alex Morrison told The Scotsman: “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.”
http://www.boxingscene.com/ricky-burns-manager-says-beltran-rematch-nearly-done–70968
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.
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
The boxing world has expressed its shock and sadness at the death of Dean Powell.
Powell, who died aged 47 on Tuesday, had been in the sport for 25 years, as trainer, cornerman and matchmaker. His death is not believed to be suspicious.
“All of us are deeply saddened and shocked by the loss of our very close friend and colleague, Dean Powell,” read a statement from Frank Warren promotions, who he most recently worked for.
“Dean was a valued and popular member of our team and within the sport of boxing.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones for their tragic loss.”
British boxers past and present, many of whom worked with Powell, have paid tribute.
Amir Khan
Sorry to hear the loss of Dean Powell. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. He was close to team khan and trained me for 2 fights. You will be missed.
Ricky Burns
Cant believe what I heard bout @DeanPowell66 was speaking 2 him yesterday.some great nites with him in my corner. Thoughts r with his family
Lennox Lewis
RIP Dean Powell! #GoneTooSoon
Joe Calzaghe
Shocked and saddened to hear the news of Dean Powell. Was in my corner for many of my big fights. RIP Dean x
Ricky Hatton
Just found out the tragic news that Dean Powell sadly passed away. My thoughts are with his family.a great man & boxing will miss him.
Billy Joe Saunders
Sad times for the boxing world lost a true Professional and hard working man in @DeanPowell66 will be missed #rip x
Anthony Ogogo
Shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Dean Powell. Boxing has lost a great guy. RIP my friend.
Dereck Chisora
Rest in peace Dean Boxing will miss you
James DeGale
Shocked and devastated to hear about the passing of Dean Powell. A sad loss to British boxing. RIP x
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.’
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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 –
Ricky Burns has warned challenger Raymundo Beltrán that he will be at his best when he defends his WBO lightweight title at the Glasgow’s SECC in September.
Beltrán will be Burns’s fourth defence of his crown and, after surviving a stern test against José González in May, the Coatbridge star is planning to put on a world class performance to prove the doubters wrong.
Burns said: “I’ve watched the fight back a few times, I saw that I was trying to force the pace and I was getting caught with stupid punches that I shouldn’t have been taking.
“For this training camp we’ve gone back to basics and although I’m prepared to get into a brawl against Beltran if I need to, I’m going to try to stick to my boxing skills. Preparation has been going great and with five weeks to go I cannot wait to get in there.”
Mexican 32-year-old Beltrán enters the fight on the back of three wins and Burns knows he needs to dispose Freddy Roach’s charge in style ahead of any talk of a unification clash in the USA.
“I am expecting a very tough fight,” Burns added.
“He’s got a few losses on his CV, but they are against top level opponents so we know what to expect, and he has not been a sparring partner to Manny Pacquiao for all these years for nothing. I’ve seen him fight before but since the fight was announced I haven’t watched anything of him, I’m just going to go out and stick to what I do best to get the win and then look at the big unification fights out there.
“I still have to go out and put in a good performance against Beltrán to make them happen. I keep telling everybody that even though it’s been mentioned that I might fight in America at the start of next year, I am not looking at that, I know I have to take it one fight at a time. Raymundo is a great fighter, boxing fans know that and it’s going to be a great fight and the fans in the SECC in Glasgow are going to have a great night, and I’ll be putting in the type of performance that I should’ve done last time.”
The Burns versus Beltrán clash tops another excellent boxing card in Glasgow, with Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell boxing for the second time as a pro, joined by John Simpson, Stephen Simmons, and David Brophy, who all fought on the undercard ahead of Burns’s last fight in May.
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