Ricky Burns could face Beltran rematch, says Hearn

JUST hours after promoter Eddie Hearn suggested that Ricky Burns may never fight again, the Scottish boxer’s manager was talking up a possible rematch with Raymundo Beltran in the United States.

Ricky Burns in action against Raymundo Beltran in Glasgow. Picture: Robert Perry

Burns narrowly held onto his WBO lightweight title at Glasgow’s SECC on Saturday night, thanks to a controversial decision from the judges to score the fight a draw.

Most observers at ringside had Mexican Beltran at least two rounds in front at the end of the bout, although Burns had displayed true grit by boxing 
for the last 10 rounds with a damaged jaw.

• OPINION: Martin Hannan - Boxing needs a scoring change

Speaking yesterday evening on BBC radio, Hearn suggested that the Coatbridge 30-year-old, who underwent surgery to have titanium plates inserted in his jaw, may never fight again due to the injury.

“Everyone’s talking about his next move, I can’t even guarantee he’ll box again at the moment,” Hearn said.

“He’ll be in [hospital] for a couple of days and then we wait and see how it sets and forms and go from there.”

But, later last night, in a new development to the story, the fighter’s manager, Alex Morrison, revealed that he had spoken to Burns in hospital yesterday, and he’s convinced that the Scot will return to the ring.

“The hospital told me that he should be all right in about six weeks,” Morrison said.

“How Ricky made it to the end of the fight I’ll never know because most fighters would have chucked it with the pain he was in. I don’t believe he’ll give up boxing.

“He told me that he was so concerned with protecting his jaw that he couldn’t assess how the bout was going.

“However, he made it clear to me that he wanted to come back. He said: ‘If I box again then I’ll give Beltran a rematch in my first fight... and I’ll take him on over there [in the US].”