Ricky Burns boxing clever with Roman Martinez taunts

Yesterday's head-to-head media conference in Glasgow saw unbeaten WBO super-featherweight champion Martinez maintain the theme he has adopted since his defence against Burns was announced three months ago. Dismissive of the threat posed by his challenger, Martinez has pledged to win by knockout at the Kelvin Hall.

After posing with Burns for the traditional pre-fight photographs, Martinez tried to crank the mind games up a notch by claiming he could see apprehension in the eyes of the Coatbridge man.

But Burns, whose only two defeats in 30 professional fights were on points against major title level opposition in the shape of Alex Arthur and Carl Johanneson, was both unfazed and even faintly amused by Martinez's latest comments.

"He is obviously trying to get under my skin," said Burns. "Ever since the fight was made, I've been reading and hearing him saying he is going to knock me out. But I've never been in bother in any of my fights before. In the two fights I lost earlier in my career against Arthur and Johanesson, who are both big punchers, I was never hurt. I've hardly been hit in any of my fights. Most of the time I walk out of the ring without a mark on my face. To knock someone out, you need to be able to hit them first.

"Martinez is talking a good game and we know he is a big puncher. But I believe my skill and speed is going to be a big factor in this fight.

"Everyone knows I can hit and move. That is the style I'm going to be using for the first few rounds. But we have been working on a few different tactics. I don't want to give too much away before the fight, but I'm prepared for whatever happens. I've been improving certain things in the gym and it's now just a question of doing it in the ring."

Burns, who has been Commonwealth champion for the past two years, readily accepts he is facing a significantly higher level of opponent in the shape of Martinez. At 27, the same age as the champion, he believes the size of the challenge will inspire him to deliver the finest performance of his career so far.

"I've always said that the better the boxer in front of me, the better I'm going to be," added Burns. "A lot of my fights, although I've won them, I haven't won them in good style. That was even the case with some of my Commonwealth title fights. That's because if I'm winning a fight easily, I will just coast through it.

"Put someone in there who is going to push me, and Roman certainly brings a fear factor in that respect, and I will respond.Saturday night is going to bring out the best in me. This is a step up in class but my attitude has never changed since I was an amateur. I'm always willing to fight anyone. I've always been confident in my own ability, without being arrogant."

Arrogance is a charge no-one could level at Burns, one of the most grounded operators on the Scottish boxing scene. He has found wider recognition and appreciation difficult to come by so far but Saturday offers him the opportunity to make the leap from local to national hero.

"In Coatbridge, I can't go anywhere without being stopped by people wishing me well," he said. "I've got around 900 supporters coming from the town to the fight. I think they are more excited about it than I am. Now I just want to reward them by taking the belt and giving Scotland a new world champion."

A high quality Kelvin Hall undercard features Greenock's John Simpson in the third defence of the Commonwealth featherweight title against unbeaten Liverpool challenger Stephen Smith. Former WBO super-featherweight champion Alex Arthur returns to action at lightweight against Peter McDonagh of Bermondsey, while former British featherweight champion Paul Appleby begins his comeback against a yet to be confirmed opponent.