Ricky Burns looking to Cook up world title unification by winning Liverpool bout

Ricky Burns hopes to finally secure a world title unification fight if he gets past British rival Nicky Cook tonight.

The Coatbridge fighter, 28, makes the third defence of his WBO super-featherweight title at Liverpool's Echo Arena against former champion Cook before looking to move on to more global matters.

He had hoped to face Mzonke Fana in the near future but the South African has been stripped of his IBF title having failed to make a defence. That leaves Burns' options limited to Japan's WBC champion Takahiro Ao and his countryman Takashi Uchiyama, the WBA champion, or the 'interim' WBA title holder Jorge Solis. With Fana out of the picture for the time being and none of the super-featherweight belts unified there is no recognised overall champion, with the Ring Magazine belt - an unofficial accolade recognising the best single fighter in each division - also vacant. Burns is refusing to look beyond Cook, however, despite the Londoner's record of one defeat and one win in over two years.

He said: "Nicky is in my way right now. There is talk about unification fights and everybody knows I'd love the chance to fight for the Ring Magazine belt. Nicky is in the way and if I can get by him, I will be pushing to get those fights."

Burns said the title defence was straightforward to arrange.

"It was just the same as always," he said. "I just got a phone call saying you are fighting such-and-such, and I can only fight who is put in front of me."