Burns vs Mitchell Results: Ricky Burns Overwhelms Kevin Mitchell in Four Rounds

The atmosphere in Glasgow was electric, the crowd thunderous, and the moment just right. Frank Warren paid for Michael Buffer, even, to make Ricky Burns vs Kevin Mitchell the “big event” he wanted it to be — and that the excited paying audience deserved it to be.

But after a good first round from Mitchell, where he seemed to find some rhythm in the latter half of the three minutes, it was all Ricky Burns, as he delighted the Scottish boxing faithful and stopped Mitchell in the fourth round.

Burns (35-2, 10 KO) wasn’t expected to win by TKO, but he did just that and looked physically huge next to Mitchell, a small lightweight and seemingly dwarfed by Burns, who recognized the size disparity and took advantage of it, pushing Mitchell (33-2, 24 KO) around at moments, bulling him to the ropes, and abandoning his normal game plan to dare Mitchell, expected to be the fight’s puncher, to trade with him.

There were a few moments of throwdown brawling between the two in each of the rounds, but it was the fourth where Mitchell was forced to fold. Burn knocked him down once a hard left hook, and Mitchell came back on unsteady legs, quickly dropped again, with referee Terry O’Connor taking a closer look this time.

Once back to action, Burns again stormed in to close the show. 20 seconds remained when he got started, and though Mitchell tried to hang on, he just couldn’t make it. With his back on the ropes and right hands flying in, Mitchell found himself fully in the hands of the referee — and O’Connor chose to stop the bout, with Mitchell not offering much by way of complaint.

He was just too much, and yet again, Ricky Burns has proven his quality. Still the WBO titleholder, Burns has a fine argument on resume to be considered the world’s best lightweight at the moment, right alongside Miguel Vazquez and Antonio DeMarco.

For Mitchell, it’s another rough setback, somewhat reminiscent of his 2010 letdown against Michael Katsidis, when Katsidis polished him off in three rounds. I don’t have any real doubt that Mitchell has the ability to get back to this level and get another shot, but he’ll need to just sit down, refocus, and come back.

For Burns, it’s a big statement win. He remains on his roll, and this was a truly strong performance from him once again. He’s always going to be doubted, even by those who know his quality. He never seems impressive until the bell rings and you watch him work.

By: Scott Christ

http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/9/22/3374474/burns-vs-mitchell-results-tko-fourth-round-glasgow-secc-wbo-lightweight-british-boxing-news

Date: September 22, 2012

WBO Lightweight Championship Title Bout

Location: Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

Promoter: Frank Warren Promotions

Referee: Terry O’Connor

Judge: Phil Edwards, Richard James Davies, Dave Parris

Supervisor: Dennis Gilmartin

Result: Burns won by TKO on the fourth round.

Ricky Burns believes he can continue to show improvement as he prepares for his seventh world title fight.

The 29-year-old stunned the boxing world when he beat Roman Martinez to claim the WBO super-featherweight title two years ago. And Burns showed again he saves his best performances for the biggest stage when he comprehensively outfought Michael Katsidis to claim the WBO lightweight title at Wembley last year.

The Coatbridge fighter faces another serious test on Saturday night against Kevin Mitchell, whose only defeat came against Katsidis in 2010. Burns believes is a more confident boxer now and thinks he will rise to the occasion again. The Scot said: “I’ve always said, the better the opponent in front of me, the better I’m going to perform.”

He added: “I think Saturday is another one of those occasions. I think people are going to see improvements on my last fight. The last few fights I have been getting better and better so hopefully I can go out there and do the business.

“I have just been getting a lot more confident and a lot more physically stronger as well. I couldn’t be happier with the way preparation went. We started sparring right at the start so I’m ready to go for a hard 12 rounds.”

Although there are some tickets left, Burns is set to fight in front of almost 10,000 fans in Glasgow, most of whom will be in his corner. But he prefers to shun the limelight and sees no added pressure in pleasing his home crowd.

“It is getting easier to deal with, but me being me, it just doesn’t bother me,” he said.

“I try not to let the occasion get to me. I’m basically just going out there to do my job.

“I am 100% ready for it, whatever happens on the night I am going to be ready to deal with it.

“I’m playing the waiting game now, I just want to go in there and get on with it.”

Press Association

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5g8wkiYDvSaTzJjbh58MuC2Xa9boA?docId=N0304181348206766854A

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) announces the officers who will be working on world title bouts, to be conducted this Saturday, September 22, in the UK (vs. Ricky Burns. Kevin Mitchell) and Denmark (Cecilia Braekhus vs. Anne Sophie Mathis).

WBO President, Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel reported that for the fight in the lightweight champion of the entity, the Briton Ricky Burns (34-2, 9 KOs) will make the second defense of his belt against compatriot and second rated Kevin Mitchell (33-1, 24 KOs), the referee will be Phil Edwards.

Meanwhile, the judges who work in the fight will be the British also Terry O’Connor, Richie Davies and Dave Parris. WBO supervisor for this meeting will be Dennis Gilmartin.

The battle between Burns and Mitchell will be held at the Scottish Exhibition Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom in a presentation of Frank Warren Promotions.

Meanwhile, for the female title clash between WBO welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus (20-0, 5 KOs), Colombian resident in Norway, and France’s Anne Sophie Mathis (26-2, 22 KOs), who will take place in Arena Frederikshavn in Denmark in a presentation of Sauerland Event, the arbitrator shall Jurgen Langos.

Meanwhile, judges are Paul Thomas, and Leszek Jankowiak Lehtosaari Etha. WBO supervisor for this lawsuit will Edoardo Ceccoli.

La Organización Mundial de Boxeo (OMB) anuncia los oficiales que estarán trabajando en los combates de título mundial, que se efectuarán este sábado, 22 de septiembre, en el Reino Unido (Ricky Burns vs. Kevin Mitchell) y Dinamarca (Cecilia Braekhus vs. Anne Sophie Mathis).

El presidente de la OMB, Francisco “Paco” Valcárcel, informó que para la pelea en que el campeón ligero de la entidad, el británico Ricky Burns (34-2, 9 KOs) hará la segunda defensa de su correa ante su compatriota y segundo clasificado Kevin Mitchell (33-1, 24 KOs), el árbitro será el Phil Edwards.

Mientras, los jueces que trabajarán en la pelea serán los también británicos Terry O’Connor, Richie Davies y Dave Parris. El supervisor de la OMB para este encuentro será Dennis Gilmartin.

El combate entre Burns y Mitchell se celebrará en el Scottish Exhibition Centre de Glasgow, Escocia, Reino Unido en una presentación de Frank Warren Promotions.

Por su parte, para el choque por el título femenino welter de la OMB entre la campeona Cecilia Braekhus (20-0, 5 KOs), colombiana residente en Noruega, y la francesa Anne Sophie Mathis (26-2, 22 KOs), que se llevará a cabo en Arena Frederikshavn en Dinamarca en una presentación de Sauerland Event, el árbitro será Jurgen Langos.

Entretanto, los jueces son Paul Thomas, Etha Lehtosaari y Leszek Jankowiak. El supervisor de la OMB para este pleito será Edoardo Ceccoli.

This Saturday night WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (34-2, 9 KO’s) will be making his second defense of his title against fellow Brit Kevin Mitchell (33-1, 24 KO’s) at the Scottish Exhibition Centre, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.

This is going to be hometown advantage for the 29-year-old Burns, although Mitchell fans swear up and down that Mitchell will get a fair shake when it comes to the judging in the fight.

Whatever. I’m not so worried about the judging for the fight. What I’m worried about is the referee keeping control of the action to make sure that Burns doesn’t end up clinching Mitchell into submission. The last couple of fights I’ve seen of Burns have been god awful filled with clinching and dull action. Boring stuff.

Burns’ last fight against Paulus Moses last March was one in which I thought Burns should have been penalized and/or disqualified for all the clinching he did in that fight. What I didn’t understand was why on earth did Burns waste time clinching this guy? It’s not as if Moses had huge knockout power or anything. As far as I can tell the only dangerous thing about Moses was his nice jab. That’s about it. Why clinch a guy repeatedly when the don’t have much power?

Mitchell hasn’t been looking all that great lately. He looked decent in taking out John Murray last year in July in stopping him in the 8th, but then he looked terrible against Felix Lora last February in beating him by a 10 round decision. Lora was landing his pot shots all night long, and Mitchell looked pretty helpless.

So as far as this Saturday night goes, I think Mitchell needs to have his inside fighting skills ready so that he can tag Burns in the puss each time he grabs him in a clinch and tries to smother Mitchell’s offense. That’s how you take care of Burns. You can’t just let him clinch like that without making him pay each time.

The British Boxing Board of Control is set to licence Ricky Burns’s WBO lightweight title defence against Kevin Mitchell at Glasgow’s SEC Arena on September 22 and are likely to do the same again for Nathan Cleverly’s October 27 WBO light-heavyweight title fight with Vyacheslav Uzelkov at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena.

This latest development has nixed recent rumours that the BBBoC could snub these contests due to the fallout from the recent Upton Park show featuring David Haye and Dereck Chisora, which was held under the auspices of the Luxembourg Boxing Federation and initially prompted a stern response from the Board.  The ruling body, though, collapsed quicker than a drunk on a blancmange and later recanted their threat of immediate action against any BBBoC license-holders who took part in the event.

The WBO risked drawing the Board’s ire at the time of the show as the organisation put their WBO International heavyweight title on the line for the grudge match.  In a strange bit of synergy, the title did not exist prior to the Haye-Chisora fight and was thought up, rubberstamped and minted just in time for the money spinning main event.

Indeed, the WBO also allowed Liam Walsh and Domenico Urbano to contest their vacant European lightweight belt on the undercard.  Furthermore, the WBO’s International middleweight title, also newly minted, appeared for the first time when Matthew Hall dropped a close unanimous decision to Gary O’Sullivan further down the bill.

Frank Warren Promotions are staging the Burns and Cleverly shows.  Frank Warren has always been quick to point out that BoxNation, in conjunction with Hayemaker, promoted the Upton Park bill.  This means that Warren’s only offence that night was acting as Chisora’s manager and this was hardly an transgression in the end as by fight night no one, one suspects not even the Board, knew what action, if any, would be taken.

Since that night, Frank Warren Promotions have not staged a show, although this is hardly surprising given that the British scene has been on lockdown in recent weeks.  This will change with Friday’s York Hall bill, which is headlined by Billy Joe Saunders’s Commonwealth middleweight title defence against Australia’s Jarrod Fletcher and promoted by FWP.

Given that Friday’s show will take place under the BBBoC there now no longer seems to be any logical grounds for any involvement from the LBF and the early months of the season could see a line drawn under British boxing’s summer of division and discontent.

By: Terence Dooley

I’LL have nearly 10,000 screaming Scots cheering for me on the biggest night of my boxing career.

But do you know what? When I defend my WBO lightweight title against England’s Kevin Mitchell at Glasgow’s SECC a week on Saturday I won’t hear a thing.

I’ll be locked away in my own little bubble with only one thought in mind — beating Mitchell to keep my crown.

The boxing ring is a lonely place and the only two people I’ll be sharing it with are Mitchell and the referee. It has to be that way.

My fans mean the world to me, but this is business and my focus has to be completely on the job.

I remember as a kid watching Naseem Hamed KO Said Lawal after just 35 seconds at the SECC and it was the Prince more than anyone who inspired me to box.

I loved that guy and I’ve had the privilege of meeting him. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe all the hype is around me these days.

But it never crossed my mind way back in March 1996 that one day I would also be appearing at the SECC where other great world champions like Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn defended their titles.

That trio virtually sold the place out and it’s looking increasingly likely I’ll do the same, so it’s going to be a very special night.

I know I’ll get a huge buzz when I walk straight into a wall of noise. I can only imagine what that will feel like, but I should think the atmosphere will raise the hairs on the back of my neck.

It will be the biggest crowd I’ve ever fought in front of and when it comes to raising a din we Scots are unrivalled.

So Kevin better watch out. He says he isn’t bothered about coming to fight in my backyard and insists he won’t be intimidated by the crowd.

But we’ll see. He’ll have his own fans, but they’ll be outnumbered by boxing’s Tartan Army and English voices will be drowned out.

On Saturday I had a public work-out in the Scottish Sun-sponsored ring at the St Enoch Centre and the fans were brilliant.

I can feel the anticipation beginning to build, but while I’m looking forward to making the second defence of this belt, there are no nerves yet.

I just want to get down to business and September 22 can’t come quick enough. The waiting is the worst aspect and the last ten days or so before a fight drag in.

When you’ve been training for 12 weeks solid you get sick of the sight of the gym. I feel bigger and stronger since moving up from super-featherweight and the extra five pounds has made things a little easier.

This is the first time I’ve sparred continuously right from the outset of my training camp and my preparations have been excellent.

There has been one notable change in my life since I last fought, in March at Braehead where I out-pointed Paulus Moses. Amanda and I got married in Mexico the following month and I came back from a fortnight all inclusive carrying a few extra pounds!

Married life hasn’t changed either of us as people. We’d been together for years before we tied the knot, so we both knew what we were letting ourselves in for.

A lot has been made of my friendship with Kevin. We first met in our amateur days and we get on well, but you don’t have any friends in a boxing ring.

Until a few weeks ago we were sharing each others’ games on Xbox and having a bit of friendly banter, but that had to stop. Yet it’s no more difficult fighting someone I’m friendly with than it would be fighting a complete stranger.

I don’t have to psyche myself up to dislike the other guy. When I step through the ropes I’m at my work, no matter if the guy at the other side of the ring is a pal or not.

My trainer Billy Nelson and I had spoken about the possibility of going to Las Vegas to train, but why change a winning formula?

I’m preparing for a good, hard fight, one that sells itself. And I’ll get myself fired up watching my favourite movie, Rocky IV, the night before.

I never tired of watching it when I was growing up — as far as I’m concerned Rocky is a real person!

The soundtrack and the storyline always gets me going, the way Rocky soaks up terrible punishment before he overcomes giant Russian Ivan Drago through sheer guts. Love it!

Burns v Mitchell will be live on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546). Tickets are also available from Eventim on 0844 249 1000 and Ticket Soup on 0844 295 4000.

By: Ricky Burns

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/4529345/Mr-Nice-turning-Naz-ty.html

The winner of the September 22nd fight between WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns and Kevin Mitchell could very well be merely keeping the World Boxing Organization 135 pound title warm long enough for Adrien Broner (24-0, 20 KO’s) to move in and take the belt from the winner, that is, if Burns doesn’t vacate an move up again.

Broner reportedly will be moved up to #1 in the WBO lightweight rankings as soon as the Burns-Mitchell fight is over, and that is going to put an incredible amount of pressure on the Burns-Mitchell winner. Oh, I’m sure that Burns or Mitchell won’t volunteer to fight Broner in their very next fight, because that could be like volunteering to get knocked out and have your title removed. But once Burns or Mitchell gets a nice voluntary title defense out of the way, they’ll be staring at the reality of having to defend the WBO title against Broner.

I can see some serious thinking going on when that happens – to fight Broner or vacate the title. I wish I could believe that Burns, if he beats Mitchell, will agree to take the fight with Broner, but I don’t see that happening. My prediction will be that Burns vacates and moves up to light welterweight to see how things are up there, while Broner moves in to take vacant WBO lightweight title in a fight against someone like #3 WBO Sharif Bogere.

The Burns-Mitchell fight is one that’s impossible to pick a winner. In an actual fight where punches are exchanged, Mitchell is the guy 7 days a week, 365 days a year. However, Burns likes to clinch, and he could shut down Mitchell’s offense completely if he’s allowed to grab Mitchell all night long whenever the Brit tries to let his hands go. Besides that, the fight is taking place at the Scottish Exhibition Center in Glasgow, Scotland, and it’s going to be really tough for Mitchell to win a decision fighting in Burns’ backyard.

By: Scott Gilfoid

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/08/burns-mitchell-winner-merely-keeping-wbo-135-lb-strap-warm-for-broner/

Former WBO super featherweight champion Adrien Broner (24-0, 20 KO’s) expects WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (34-2, 9 KO’s) to move up to the light welterweight division now that Broner is moving up and has been promised the #1 ranking by the World Boxing Organization. Broner sees Burns vacating his title rather than risking a fight against him.

Broner told Fighthype.com “I was supposed to fight Ricky Burns [at super featherweight]. He went up. Now that I’m at his weight [lightweight], I think he’s going to 40 [140 lbs] now.”

Gosh, I hope Broner is wrong about this because I’d hate to see Burns move up in weight for a second time just when Broner is on the verge of finally getting a fight against him. Broner was hoping to get a fight against Burns last year when Burns was the WBO super featherweight champion. But just when Broner was ready to get the fight, Burns vacated the WBO super featherweight title and moved up in weight to the lightweight division. Burns picked up the WBO lightweight outside of the ring after the WBO stripped champion Juan Manuel Marquez and gave the strap to Burns.

Since getting the WBO title, Burns has defended it once against 34-year-old Paulus Moses in a 12 round unanimous decision last March. That wasn’t an impressive performance from Burns because he spent a lot of time clinching and trapping Moses’ arms to keep him from punching.

It’s going to be interesting to see if Burns does a repeat and vacates his WBO title now that Broner is ready to fight him again. I’d like to imagine that Burns will face Broner this time, but future events cast their shadows before. Burns might repeat what he did in the past and vacate the WBO strap rather than face Broner and risk getting battered and knocked out.

Burns is facing #1 WBO Kevin Mitchell next month on September 22nd at the Scottish Exhibition Center in Glasgow, Scotland. I figure Mitchell will lose this fight unless he can score a knockout. He’s going to be really up against it and I don’t see him walking out of Scott Exhibition Center with a decision.

By: Scott Gilfoid

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/08/broner-i-think-ricky-burns-will-move-up-to-140-lbs-now-that-im-at-135/

World Boxing Organization (WBO) World Lightweight Champion Ricky Burns and challenger Kevin Mitchell may be good friends, but that isn’t stopping them promise to put on one of the most brutal fights in recent years.

The pair clash in the big domestic showdown on Saturday 22nd September at the SECC in Glasgow, live and exclusive on the home of TV boxing BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).

Two-time and two-weight world champion Burns will put friendship aside and be ruthless in the fight, “Come fight night once we step into the ring the friendship is over, this is business time,” he said.

Cockney scrapper Mitchell is looking to finally win the world title and is confident he can beat his friend, “You can’t beat Ricky’s personality, he’s a lovely man and a mate of mine. We genuinely get on well and there won’t be any trash talking. But once we get in the ring we fight, that’s our job. I’ve wanted this fight for a long time now and Ricky has given me the chance. I’m determined to win it, but I know I’m in for a hard night’s work.”

Here are some more boxers who have put fighting before friendship:

JOE CALZAGHE v RICHIE WOODHALL (WBO World Super-Middleweight title)

In the build up to their ‘Battle of Britain’ in December 2000, Joe Calzaghe and Richie Woodhall stopped off for a cup of tea at a motorway service station in-between press conferences. The fight was made harder as their fathers and trainers Enzo and Len were also good friends. That didn’t stop WBO World Super-Middleweight Champion Calzaghe putting on a vicious performance to stop Woodhall in the 10th round of an exciting battle at the Sheffield Arena.

KEVIN MITCHELL v JOHN MURRAY (WBO Intercontinental Lightweight title)

Before Kevin Mitchell’s mouthwatering domestic lightweight clash with rival John Murray in July last year, he said that he and Murray were good mates from their amateur days and came close to fighting then. They eventually met as pros at the Liverpool Echo Arena with Mitchell putting on his best ever performance to stop the previously unbeaten Murray in the eighth round to win the WBO Intercontinental Lightweight title.

Burns v Mitchell will be televised live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546). Join now at www.boxnation.com

Tickets, priced at £50, £75, £100, £150 and £200, are available from Eventim on 0844 249 1000 or online at eventim.co.uk and Ticket Soup on 0844 295 4000 or ticketSOUP.com

Scotland’s Ricky Burns will put his WBO lightweight title on the line against England’s Kevin Mitchell in Glasgow on 22 September.

Burns, at 29, is 18 months older than his opponent from Essex but the pair have almost identical records, and were once sparring partners.

“I’m in this sport to prove I’m the best, next to me Mitchell’s the best around, and it will be a great fight between two warriors,” said Burns.

The venue has yet to be confirmed.

The Coatbridge fighter’s last defence was against Paulus Moses in March when he produced a confident performance to defeat the Namibian on points.

“The fight’s been on the boil for the last couple of years and the fans and press have been desperate for it to happen. It’s fantastic that it’s on at last,” added the defending champion.

“We are both at the top of our game now.

“He put on a great showing against John Murray last year that showed just how good a boxer he is to take apart another champion.

“But this fight is the fight I’ve wanted and it’s got me really excited.

“Mitchell’s going to bring out the best in me and I believe that the fans are going to be in for an unbelievable fight.”

Burns moved up to lightweight last November when he beat the Australian Michael Katsidis at Wembley – the only man to have beaten Mitchell in 34 bouts.

Burns’ record stands at 34 wins and two defeats.

Mitchell’s fight against John Murray last July was voted Fight of the Year in which he stopped Murray in the eighth round of a thrilling contest.

In February he beat the tough Dominican Republican Felix Lora over ten rounds and has been shouting for a confrontation with his Scottish adversary.

Mitchell said: “I’m promising you now you’re going to see the best fight of the year or any year.

“This is a real fight between the two best in the division and it’s not going to be for the faint-hearted.

“I rate Burns very highly, he’s a great fighter and has really proved himself as one of the top champions in the world.

“I’m going into the lion’s den and I know I can beat him and take the world title. Burns is a top kid and I’ve got to be at the top of my game, the fittest and strongest I’ve ever been in my life to win.”

Billy Nelson trains Burns at his Fighting Scots gym in Lanarkshire and he is in no doubt that the WBO belt will not be heading south.

“Kevin Mitchell is a very good fighter but Ricky is better in every department, as far as I’m concerned,” he told BBC Scotland.

“He’s getting a chance to grab our title but we are adamant that he’s not going to win this fight.”

Nelson is delighted that the bout will take place in Glasgow and not, as was once mooted, at West Ham’s Upton Park.

“He is one of the best fighters in the world, why should we go anywhere else to fight?” he said.

“We have a good fan base in Scotland. Let’s showcase our talent and keep the Scottish fight fans happy.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/18594342

Promoter Frank Warren has revealed that WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (34-2, 9KOs) is likely going to return in July. The most sensinble opponent, says Warren, is Kevin Mitchell (33-1, 24KOs). The fight has been brewing for several months and British fans want it to happen. Warren says the fight will be tough to make because Mitchell wants a lot of money to make it possible.

Burns’ return, because of scheduling issues with the venues, is not heading to Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium or West Ham United’s Upton Park.

“I can’t say who it is going to be against yet but it will probably be in July,” said Warren to BBC Scotland. “Kevin Mitchell is an opponent we are looking at and, providing he is sensible, maybe we could make that fight. He has had problems outside the ring and he thinks he should be getting paid much more than Ricky. It’s a struggle to make that one.”

By Edward Chaykovsky

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=51069

Ricky Burns has his sights set on bigger fights after a confident if unspectacular first defence of his WBO lightweight belt.

The Scot scored a unanimous points win over Namibia-based Paulus Moses in front of a 6,000 capacity crowd at Braehead Arena on the outskirts of Glasgow.

Burns has now won six fights at world level and will discuss options with promoter Frank Warren and manager Alex Morrison early next week.

A fight with Londoner Kevin Mitchell, who holds the WBO inter-continental belt after a thrilling victory against John Murray, would capture the imagination of boxing fans on both sides of the border, but Burns was reluctant to name names after his latest comfortable triumph.

Burns said: “I’m happy to get the win, it was a good fight and a good 12 rounds in the bank.

“I’ll get a wee break now and sit down and talk about what happens next.

“There have been a few names out there mentioned.

“I have always said I will fight whoever they put in front of me. Rather than me shout out names and who I want to fight, I’ll do my talking in the ring. Whoever they want to get me to fight, it’s no problem at all.

“I got the win and we can start looking at bigger fights now.”

Although Burns was never in trouble, the scorecard of 119-110 120-110 117-111 probably did not reflect the difficulty Burns had against the 33-year-old former WBA lightweight champion, who has 19 knockouts to his name.

Burns, who struggled with a minor shoulder injury in the final few rounds, acknowledged his opponent’s threat had forced him into caution at times.

“Some of the rounds it was tough,” Burns said.

“He could punch, he caught me with a few good right hands.

“I’ve always said I can take a good shot. I shrugged it off and got on with the fight.”

The Coatbridge boxer, who dominated the first five rounds, added: “A few times I banged them (body shots) in, a couple of times I thought I hurt him.

“But he was taking them well and I didn’t want to dive in because I didn’t know if he was trying to draw me in.

“He was looking for the counters all the time and the right hand over the top, which he caught me with a couple of times.

“I thought I was doing all right but maybe I shouldn’t have got caught those couple of times.

“But I’m still learning and I’ve always said there are still more improvements to come. I can look onwards and upwards now.”

Whatever the profile of the next opponent for Burns, who gets married next month, he has proved he can draw an increasingly large crowd.

Braehead had been only half full for his previous two fights there despite his stunning victory over Roman Martinez at the smaller Kelvin Hall.

After fights in Liverpool and Wembley, Burns sold out the arena and the atmosphere at times evoked that memorable night against the previously unbeaten Martinez, when Burns upset the odds to win the WBO super-featherweight title.

The 28-year-old said: “I just want to thank everyone that has come down. I couldn’t believe it when I walked out.

“The fans were fantastic and I hope they all had a good time.

“When I walked out the changing room, you could hear them all singing.

“Everyone says the Glasgow crowd are excellent and they proved that again.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=50510

There are many ways to win a fight, but Ricky Burns again did not stray far from his stick-and-move formula to turn back the rugged challenge of Paulus Moses and retain his WBO lightweight title in front of an appreciative Scottish audience.

Judges awarded him the decision by margins of 119-110, 120-110 and 117-110 – a little harsh on the African challenger, from this vantage point, at least: I had him winning 116-113. The Coatbridge man remains on track for a considerably bigger fight in June, against the Londoner Kevin Mitchell.

Burns got a lager-spilling reception from the 6,000 fans in the Braehead Arena on his return to a Glasgow ring after an absence of a year – although it was a bit rude to play Flower of Scotland for the champion and be left to wonder what the Namibian anthem sounds like.

Snubbed or not, Moses was intent on making it a long night for Burns. The heavy-handed man from Windhoek, a former WBA champion, rumbled after Burns, who took a round or two to hit a rhythm, his pink gloves incongruous but effective weapons.

The Burns right, thrown at an angle over his opponent’s guard, hit the target with encouraging regularity as he took control of centre ring, giving ground only when covering up on the ropes, a strategy that non-plussed the challenger.

Reduced to charging through a blizzard of pink, Moses soaked up a steady flow of blows to the head but remained dangerous on the counter. He looked to have shared the fifth and took the sixth, growing strong as Burns struggled to hold him at bay.

Moses continued to throw big shots in bunches, not all of them catching Burns’s high guard. The boisterous crowd of only a quarter of an hour earlier idled in relative silence, and the chatter from the visitor’s corner grew ever more urgent.

An overhand right rocked Burns early in the ninth but he came back with one of his own and a few more jabs and uppercuts near the bell to take control going into the championship rounds.

The crowd came to life in the 10th, as did Burns, weathering the now less frequent attacks by Moses – who looked his 33 years – and working more vigorously to the ribs. As the seconds ebbed, so did Moses.

The 12th started curiously. They hugged at the start, rather than merely touching gloves, then Burns looked distractedly down at his shorts; had it been Floyd Mayweather in front of him rather than the gentlemanly Moses, he would have spent the next 10 seconds staring at the ceiling. He returned to work quickly enough, dancing clear of danger, and banging out enough jabs to consolidate his advantage. Scotland would be no Promised Land for Moses.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/mar/11/ricky-burns-retains-title?newsfeed=true

Former WBA lightweight champion Paulus Moses is highly motivated by the chance to become the first Namibian to win world titles with two different organizations when he takes on WBO lightweight belt holder Ricky Burns Saturday at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow, Scotland. “In boxing, there are no easy fights. Every match is tough, every match is dangerous but fighting up in Scotland will not present a problem,” Moses told boxing writer Glynn Evans. “The crowd was against me many times in South Africa, and also Japan and the Ukraine yet I won every time. Even up in Scotland, a lot of Namibian people from all over Britain have expressed a wish to come and see this fight.

“Training has gone very well and my weight is fine. I haven’t seen Ricky Burns fight yet but, according to his record, he must be a very good boxer. It’s sure to be very tough, every fight is. Still, if you want to be the champion, you need to beat the champion. I’m very confident. I train to win and, if I succeed, I will become a big, big hero back home in Namibia. I’ve beaten better fighters than Ricky Burns before. I’m coming to take his title by knockout!”

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/moses-ive-beaten-better-fighters-than-burns-109839

Ricky Burns aims to make a successful defence of his WBO lightweight title against Paulus Moses on Saturday to reward his vast army of fans.

Burns, 28, is grateful for the sold-out home support at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena as he prepares to take on the Namibian challenger.

“I would like to say a big thanks to everyone who is going,” he said, before a media workout at trainer Billy Nelson’s Fighting Scots gym in Mossend, Lanarkshire.

“My phone has been going constantly with people asking for tickets. I was on the phone this morning to see if I could get any more, the demand has been unbelievable.

“My last couple of fights have been away from home and I think because a lot of people missed out and because it is in Glasgow, the response has been great.

http://www1.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/7574864/Burns-wants-reward-for-fans

Ricky Burns admits he knows little of Saturday’s opponent Paulus Moses, the WBO lightweight champion preferring to concentrate on his own training and prepare himself for “whatever he brings”.

Burns, 28, returns to Scotland for the first defence of his title, with the pair set for battle at a sold-out Braehead Arena in Glasgow.

A domestic showdown with rival Kevin Mitchell could await the Scot in the summer, but Burns says the last thing he can afford to do is take the Namibian challenger lightly, even if he has not watched him in action.

“This is a very dangerous fight, but I’ll do what I need to do to win” Burns told BBC Scotland. “He’s only lost once, he’s a former world champion with 28 victories from 29 fights, 19 knockouts: which shows he can punch a bit.

“I’ve still not watched any footage of him, I’ve left that to my trainer. When you watch your opponent you tend to look at what they’re good at, which can throw you off. I like to concentrate on what I’m going to do in the fight, so I go in there with a clear mind.

“We know he’s a good boxer, we know he’s got a big right hand – but I’ve been in the ring with big punchers before and proved I can take a shot so with this fight we’ll just go out and take it from the first round.”

Burns is excited to be fighting in front of his home fans for the first time in 12 months, insisting that the level of support has been overwhelming.

“I’m really looking forward to getting into the ring at the Braehead Arena – the last couple of fights have been away from home,” he added. “The support and the response I’ve been getting for this fight has been unbelievable. My phone’s still going constantly with people asking for tickets.

“If I win on Saturday then I think we’re going to need a bigger venue for the next fight.”

http://www.espn.co.uk/boxing/sport/story/139693.html

Ricky Burns aims to repay the fans who will pack out the Braehead Arena on Saturday night with victory when he defends his WBO lightweight title against Paulus Moses.

Despite stringent financial times, and the fight showing live on television, the 6,000-capacity arena on the outskirts of Glasgow is set for a sell-out.

Burns, 28, is grateful for the home support as he prepares to take on the Namibian challenger

“I would like to say a big thanks to everyone who is going,” he said, before a media workout at trainer Billy Nelson’s Fighting Scots gym in Mossend, Lanarkshire.

“My phone has been going constantly with people asking for tickets.

“I was on the phone this morning to see if I could get any more, the demand has been unbelievable.

“My last couple of fights have been away from home and I think because a lot of people missed out and because it is in Glasgow, the response has been great.

“There was only a couple of hundred tickets left the other day so it will definitely be a sell-out.

“The way things are going for this fight – as long as I win – the next one is going to have to be at a bigger venue up here.

“The people who can’t get to see it or have missed out, or left it too late to get their tickets, will be able to watch it live on BoxNation, so that’s a bonus.

“But I am just looking forward to getting on with it now.

“Once I step in that ring, I will need to try block the crowd out and get on with the job.”

Perhaps surprisingly, Burns has not watched the 33-year-old challenger – who has lost only once in 28 fights with only one defeat – either live or on television.

However, the Coatbridge fighter is supremely confident of getting the win which will leave him free for a showdown with Londoner Kevin Mitchell in the summer.

“I haven’t watched him at all,” said Burns.

“We know he is a good boxer and has a big right hand, obviously, with 19 knockouts from 28 fights.

“He is also a former world champion who is not afraid to travel, he has fought in Japan and other places.

“So it is going to be a cracking fight but we are prepared for whatever he brings.

“Now it is about playing the waiting game. Once Friday (weigh-in) is over I can get on with it.

“I have always said the better the guy in front of me, the better I will perform, so it is just down to me now to produce the goods again.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=50337

IN DEPTH WITH RICKY BURNS

Ricky Burns: ‘I’m Fed Up With Training and Waiting. Let’s Get the Fight On!’

With two world titles already on his CV, Coatbridge quiet man Ricky Burns is now primely placed to reap the material rewards of his labours.

But with a lucrative summer showdown against London rival Kevin Mitchell beckoning, and possible unification openings thereafter, this most unassuming of champions stresses to boxing writer Glynn Evans that there can be no room for complacency when he faces off with top grade Namibian Paulus Moses at Braehead Arena next Saturday.

The Scot makes the opening defence of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) World Lightweight crown live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 456/Virgin Ch. 546) from 7.30pm. Join at www.boxnation.tv

How do you reflect on your great win over Michael Katsidis for the WBO interim lightweight crown at Wembley last November? Do you agree it was the finest performance of your career?

It was definitely a good performance. Again, everybody had me wrote off beforehand and, again, I proved everybody wrong. It was definitely a tougher fight than when I won my (WBO) superfeather belt against Roman Martinez. Michael was exactly what we trained for; a tough, tough man and you could see at the end when I was interviewed how swollen my jaw was.

That said, it appeared a lot tougher when I watched the tape back than it had actually appeared when I was fighting the fight. I pretty much knew from the first round that I had the beating of him. The tactics were to stay on the jab and, when inevitably there were times when he managed to close the distance, to keep my hands up, counter, then use my legs to get me out of bother. It all worked perfectly. Again, I promise, there’s a lot more still to come.

It was your first championship start up at 135lbs. What difference did the added weight make during camp and on fight night?

I’d not have weighed much more inside the ring than I did when I boiled down to super-feather but it allowed training to go far more comfortably. I could train for tactics and technique not just to shed pounds. Straining to make weight definitely takes something out of you in the ring. I still looked massive for a lightweight.

Lightweight has been my natural weight for a lot longer than you’d realise. To be honest, I was surprised how long I continued at superfeather when I was fighting at Commonwealth level. We discussed lightweight a year before I won the super-feather world title. Every time it was ‘just one more fight’. However, the struggle I had making 130 for the Nicky Cook fight was absolutely ridiculous. Of course, it’s hard to walk away when you hold a world title but I knew after that it was definitely time to move up. When the opportunity to contest the ‘interim’ title at lightweight was offered, I jumped at it. A lifeline!

Your first defence against Paulus Moses on Saturday (10th) will be your first start in Scotland for 12 months. Given your last two showings at home were comparatively flat title defences over Andreas Evensen and Joseph Laryea, do you feel you owe Scottish fans a spectacular performance?

Obviously I’ll be hoping to look good for the home fans but you know I don’t ever like to talk myself up and put added pressure on myself. Getting the win is the be all and end all, for me. I understand there’s under 400 tickets left so we’re expecting a sell out. What I can say is that if I perform as well as I have been in sparring, I guarantee the fans will have a good night.

The South African is a former WBA champion who has only lost once in 29 pro fights and has 19 knockout wins on his slate. Yet you’ve accepted him as a voluntary challenger. Weren’t you tempted to take something a little less taxing?

No, I’ve always said since I started boxing at 12 that I’ll fight anyone at all. The only way to be the best, and to be considered the best by others, is to fight and beat the best around. This is a proper world title fight.

How has your preparation gone?

I’ll have had 10 or 11 weeks and six of that will have been hard sparring. There’s been a really good vibe in the gym. I’ve done a lot of rounds with Paul Appleby who’s got a big fight himself the same night (against Ireland’s Stephen Ormond) and I’ve also had Tommy Coyle, Tyrone Nurse, Patrick Liam Walsh up here before finishing off with Bradley Saunders last week. You get to a stage were you’re just fed up with training and waiting. You just want to get the fight on. That’s where I’m at.

What do you know of the 33 year old challenger?

I’m never one for studying tapes of my opponent. What happens on the night, happens. A fight’s a fight and I’ve always been good at sussing things out once we get started.

But Paulus’s record speaks for itself so I know he’s likely to give me a very good fight. He’s a former world champion, proven at very top class for quite a while and his only defeat (a sixth round knockout in the second defence of his WBA crown) was to Venezuela’s Miguel Acosta who is also a great fighter.

I’ve heard Moses is a good boxer who has a good jab but so have I. Obviously, from his record, he can bang – we’ve heard with the right hand – but I’ve been in with bangers before. Martinez and Katsidis were said to be bangers but I’ve always shown I can take a shot.

I think the first few rounds could be the key but I’m ready for anything and I’ll take each round as it comes.

Your very best performances have come as an underdog against Martinez and Katsidis yet you enter this as a 5-1 on favourite. Any chance you could be overlooking Moses in favour of the mooted mandatory summer showdown with Kevin Mitchell?

None at all. If I don’t win here, the Kevin Mitchell fight definitely isn’t going to happen. I’ve trained extremely hard for 12 rounds and I’m expecting a very tough fight. I have to get this one out of the way.

People need to realise, I just love fighting and the better the opponent, the more I love it. Most true, diehard boxing fans are aware exactly how big a challenge Paulus Moses represents. I’ve always maintained that only the very top opponents will bring out the very best in me and this is a perfect fight for me to prove that.

Prediction?

Ricky Burns wins a great fight; points if need be, knockout’s a bonus!

This is your first fight of 2012. What do you hope to have achieved by the end of the year?

I’m looking no further than this fight but obviously if I do get through it, the Kevin Mitchell fight should be straightforward to make as we’re both with Frank Warren. Kevin boxed very well last month so that could be a very tough fight in the summer. We’re the two best lightweights in the country and it’s the one most want to see.

You’ve been world champion for 18 months now. How are you growing into that status? You’re naturally shy. Are the commitments a bonus or a distraction?

I’m still doing my shift at the local sports store on the weekend. It breaks up my training nicely and all the staff and customers are ‘brand new’. That keeps me grounded.

I do whatever’s needed publicity wise then, a fortnight before a fight I completely lock myself away and I think people appreciate the need for that.

Otherwise, I try to go to as many functions and charity bashes as I can. It’s no big deal to me but often means a lot to others. My attitude’s the same it always was. I sort of enjoy the attention but I get embarrassed, really don’t see what all the fuss is about. After a fight, I do try to lock myself away for a couple of weeks to let the commotion die down.

You’re still only 28 but have been a pro for nearly 11 years now. How long do you intend continuing for and what are your remaining ambitions? Breaking America? Unification?

A boxing ring is a boxing ring and, if I keep winning, sure, I’d go to the States, particularly for unification. That would be exciting, an adventure.

I really, really love fighting so much. I’ve a good defence and, as long as I’m not getting hurt, I tell (trainer) Billy Nelson I’m going to continue until I’ve had 100 fights! Others think I’m nuts but, really, it’s all I want to do.

THE WBO LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD

RICKY BURNS v PAULUS MOSES

SATURDAY 10th MARCH, 2012

BRAEHEAD ARENA, GLASGOW

***LIVE ON BOXNATION (SKY CH. 456/VIRGIN CH. 546)***

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=31008&more=1

Billy Nelson, the trainer for WBO lightweight interim champion Ricky Burns (33-2, 9 KO’s), sees Burns stopping former WBA World lightweight champion Paulus Moses (28-1, 19 KO’s) in their big fight on March 10th at the Braehead Arena in Glascow, Scotland.

Nelson told the heraldscotland.com “Moses is a very good fighter. His style is completely different to [Michael] Katsidis, but world class fighters have the ability to adapt and I expect Ricky to stop him.”

So the light hitting Burns is going to stop a hard hitter like Moses, eh?

Is Nelson serious about that or what? Burns hasn’t had what you’d call genuine knockout since he stopped Michael Gomez in the 7th round in March 2009. I know Burns got a 1st round knockout credit for his fight with Nicky Cook last year in July when Cook’s back seized up on him in the first seconds of the fight in what turned out to be one of the funniest and worst match-ups I’ve ever seen before.

But Burns is hardly a knockout puncher and if he tries to punch with Moses, he’s going to be playing directly into his hands and will be making it too easy for him to stop Burns and take his precision interim strap. I figure Moses will win anyway by knockout but Burns will make it all the easier if he tries to follow Nelson’s instructions by shooting for a knockout over Moses.

I think Burns and Nelson haven’t see Moses fight and don’t realize what a great left hook and jab this guy has got. Moses can really punch and has got excellent hand speed and size. Moses, 5’8”, isn’t as tall as the 5’10” Burns but he’s got a 2 ½” reach advantage over the Scottish Burns, so he might as well be the taller man.

By Scott Gilfoid:

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/01/burnss-trainer-expects-knockout-victory-for-burns-over-moses-on-310/

Ricky Burns is enjoying his last week of regular living before he gets down to preparing seriously for his interim WBO lightweight battle against Paulus Moses at the Braehead Arena on March 10.

The 28-year-old champion from Coatbridge is already in training for the visit of the Namibian, who has lost only once in 29 fights.

However, he will move into overdrive next week when he starts looking at the scales with the nine stone nine pounds limit in mind, although he admits it will not be quite as difficult as it used to be when he was a super-featherweight.

“The hard dieting will start next week,” said Burns.

“At the moment I have a wee bit of leeway and if I want something I can have it.

“But I start pushing it seven weeks before the fight.

“I started training just after the New Year so we are in full training, two and three times a day.

“But the countdown is on to the weigh-in and then it’s time to get on with the job.

“No matter what weight you have to make it is always hard. But again, making nine stone nine is a lot easier than having to boil down to nine stone four.

“I am much happier now that I have moved up a weight.”

While not taking victory for granted, Burns wants to take on Essex fighter Kevin Mitchell in the summer.

Mitchell’s only defeat in 33 fights to date was to Michael Katsidis at Upton Park, London, in May 2010, whom the Scotsman beat at Wembley in November last year to take the title from the Australian.

“Obviously I have to get past Paulus Moses first or that (Mitchell) fight is not going to happen,” said Burns.

“I know Kevin is fighting in February and as long as the two of us come through then we can sit down and talk about it.

“Both of us are promoted by Frank Warren so it is an easy fight for us to make.

“I would say the two of us are the best lightweights in Britain just now so it is a fight that I would really want.

“When I beat Michael Katsidis he (Mitchell) was saying he would love the chance to fight me.

“I would prefer it to be up here.

“Hopefully we can show them that we can get Braehead sold out and get the fans behind me.

“But for now, I just need to concentrate on my next fight.”

Ricky Burns has targeted Kevin Mitchell for a summertime all-British battle – and wants it to be in Scotland.

The interim WBO lightweight champion will face Namibia’s Paulus Moses at the Braehead Arena on March 10.

Burns, from Coatbridge, is hoping fight fans pack out the venue on the outskirts of Glasgow to encourage promoter Frank Warren to bring Essex boy Mitchell north of the border for what would be a classic Scotland versus England encounter.

Mitchell’s only defeat in 33 fights to date was to Michael Katsidis at Upton Park, London, in May 2010, whom Burns beat at Wembley in November last year to take the title from the Australian.

Burns, 28, speaking at the Braehead Arena, said: “Obviously I have to get past Paulus Moses first or that (Mitchell) fight is not going to happen.

“I know Kevin is fighting in February and as long as the two of us come through then we can sit down and talk about it.

“Both of us are promoted by Frank Warren so it is an easy fight for us to make.

“I would say the two of us are the best lightweights in Britain just now so it is a fight that I would really want.

“When I beat Michael Katsidis he (Mitchell) was saying he would love the chance to fight me.

“They are talking about the venue being down in London or up here.

“I was on the same bill when Michael Katsidis beat him down at West Ham’s football ground.

“I know that was the venue that was mentioned if I was to fight him in the summer.

“I would prefer it to be up here.

“Hopefully we can show them that we can get Braehead sold out and get the fans behind me.

“But for now, I just need to concentrate on my next fight.”

Burns will enjoy one last week of regular living before the hard work starts – albeit it will not be quite as difficult to make the weight now that he has moved up to the nine stone nine pounds division.

“The hard dieting will start next week,” he said.

“At the moment I have a wee bit of leeway and if I want something I can have it.

“But I start pushing it seven weeks before the fight.

“I started training just after the New Year so we are in full training, two and three times a day.

“But the countdown is on to the weigh-in and then it’s time to get on with the job.

“No matter what weight you have to make it is always hard.

“But again, making nine stone nine is a lot easier than having to boil down to nine stone four.

“I am much happier now that I have moved up a weight.”

Burns will not watch any DVDs of Moses, preferring to let the challenger worry about him.

“I can only go with his record which makes him dangerous,” he said.

“One loss in 29 fights and 19 knockouts, that shows he is a big puncher.

“But I have always said whatever happens on the night is going to happen.

“I can adapt to people’s styles so I’m sure when I get in the ring, I will know what to do to win.

“If I get the chance to knock him out I will do it.”

Burns, though, will be informed by trainer Billy Nelson as to what to expect on the night.

“I have been studying DVDs every night and Moses is a very good fighter,” said Nelson.

“He has a different style to Katsidis but world class fighters have the ability to adapt to different styles.

“I expect Ricky to stop this guy.

“Once that fight is done, there is the blockbuster with Kevin Mitchell and then he will get it as well.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48709

El campeón mundial ligero interino de la OrganizaciónMundialde Boxeo (OMB), el escocés Ricky Burns (33-2, 9 KOs), realizará la primera exposición de su corona frente al ex monarca mundial ligero de la Asociación Mundial de Boxeo (AMB), el namibio Paulus Moses (28-1, 19 KOs), en lo que será el combate estelar de una velada que se desarrollará el próximo 10 de marzo en el Braehead Arena de Glasgow, Escocia.

 Burns, quien ya había reinado entre los superpluma entre septiembre de 2010 y agosto de 2011 -que abandonó el cetro-, viene de conquistar su actual cinturón al derrotar a otro ex campeón, el australiano Michael Katsidis, en decisión unánime, el pasado 5 de noviembre en Wembley, Londres, Inglaterra.

 En tanto Moses, que reinó enla AMBentre enero de 2009 y el 29 de mayo de 2010 -cuando el venezolano Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta lo detuvo en cinco asaltos-, llega tras tres éxitos en fila. En su última actuación, superó también en forma unánime al brasileño Sidney Siqueira, el 24 de septiembre en Windhoek, Namibia.

http://www.notifight.com/artman2/publish/Reporte_7/Burns_expone_ante_Moses_10_3_en_Escocia.php

Ricky Burns will make his first defence of the interim WBO lightweight title against Paulus Moses on 10 March.

The 33-year-old Namibian won the WBA title two years ago in Japan but lost it after one successful defence.

Moses, known as ‘The Hitman’, has only been stopped once in 29 fights and has won 19 bouts by knockout.

The fight has been moved back to the Braehead Arena due to television commitments after promoters had announced a switch to the Kelvin Hall.

Burns’s manager Alex Morrison believes Moses will provide a “stiff test” for his Burns.

“He’s a bit of a knockout specialist,” Morrison told BBC Scotland.

“And you don’t go to Japan and a win a world title without having something about you.”

Moses (right) has only been stopped once in 29 fights

Burns became WBO super-featherweight champion after a thrilling win over Rocky Martinez in 2010.

After three defences of the title, ‘The Rickster’ moved up to lightweight and beat Michael Katsidis at Wembley last November to become interim lightweight champion.

If, as expected, Juan Manuel Marquez vacates his WBO title at the same weight, Burns could enter the ring against Moses as the full champion.

By Phil Goodlad
BBC Scotland

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/boxing/16534019.stm