Ricky Burns to be given another shot at world title

Scottish fighter Ricky Burns has been given the Christmas present he wanted most with the news that he will have the chance to become a world champion again in 2016 – six years after he first won the WBO super-featherweight crown.

The former WBO Lightweight champion will get another chance should he win his undercard bout on the Anthony Joshua fight. Picture: Robert Perry

Promoter Eddie Hearn has told the 32-year-old from Coatbridge that he’ll box for a belt on the undercard of heavyweight contender Anthony Joshua’s next fight at London’s O2 Arena on 9 April.

Joshua may challenge whoever wins Saturday’s bout for the vacant European title between Finn Roberto Helenio and Germany’s Franz Rill in Helsinki or take on veteran Dereck Chisora, the former British, Commonwealth and European in another pay-per-view event.

Whatever happens, though, Burns will be involved – and the timing couldn’t be better, according to his manager, Alex Morrison.

“Ricky’s stopped his last two opponents and we’ve been told that he’ll be fighting for a belt of some kind on the undercard of the Joshua bill,” he said.

“If he comes through that then he’ll definitely be given a world title shot in the summer – probably against WBO lightweight champ Terry Flanagan.

“This is great news for Ricky, especially since his bankruptcy order ends in March. This will be a fresh start for him.”

Burns was declared bankrupt nine months ago, with debts of £420,000, after losing a legal battle with his former promoter Frank Warren.

He took the WBO super-featherweight belt from Roman Martinez at the Kelvin Hall in 2010 and made three successful defences before moving up to lightweight, winning the title against Paulus Moses and keeping it for another three fights before losing to the American Terence Crawford last year at the SECC in Glasgow.#