Boxing: Norwegian challenger takes champ Ricky Burns all the way in first title defence

Ricky Burns triumphed in the first defence of his world super-featherweight championship at Braehead Arena last night. He beat the gallant Norwegian-Colombian challenger Andreas Evensen on a unanimous points decision after 12 enthralling rounds.

• Battle: Ricky Burns was forced to go 12 rounds against the challenger.

Photograph: PA

Having won the title in such spectacular fashion against Roman Martinez at the Kelvin Hall in September, much was expected of the charming chap from Coatbridge in his first defence, and he did not fail to deliver.

His reward is surely now to gain a very lucrative contest, perhaps in Japan against one of their two champions at the weight, Takashi Uchiyama or Aoh Takahiro.

Braehead Arena is Scotland's top boxing venue when it is full and rocking, as it was for the fight last night. The near capacity crowd of almost 5,000 indulged in the old Scottish love of a sing song, Sweet Caroline and Hi Ho Silver Lining being given bags of laldy before the announcer called in the fighters.

Evensen entered the ring to a chorus of boos, but there were a sizable number of Norwegians in the crowd and they waved their flags and made as much noise as they could.

Not since the heyday of Scott Harrison has the Arena heard anything like the welcome for Ricky Burns. A blast from the past, Davie Haggerty, who performed the anthem before Harrison's title fights, then came out to sing Flower of Scotland, and from the final notes onward, the crowd took over, the chorus of "Ricky Burns, Ricky Burns" drowning out the pre-fight announcements. Both men are modest and likeable, and before the fight there had been no trash talking. Yet the looks on their faces spoke of deadly intent as they prepared to go to war.

The Colombian-born Norwegian was stepping up from featherweight, where he is WBO Inter-continental champion, and as they faced each other in the centre of the ring, it was clear that Burns was taller and more muscular. The champion had weighed in dead on 9st 4lbs, and with normal rehydration he might well have had a half-stone advantage last night.

Those physical advantages showed immediately as Burns threw a right which clearly stunned Evensen, sending him to his knee for a mandatory count of eight - exactly what happened to Burns himself against Martinez. This time, however, there would be no comeback for the downed man.