Ricky Burns: Modern Day Braveheart

Tonight, we get to see another test for WBO Lightweight Champion Ricky Burns.

Ricky is a good fighter and a very proud, professional world champion, and it isn’t a test really, it’s a defence of his world championship belt, but it feels like another test.

Whether that is because I feel like there is more to come from him, or whether I think he’s hanging around by the skin of his teeth, I don’t know.

I like Ricky Burns, 36-2-0, with 11 KO’s. I like him because of his down to earth attitude, for example still having the Saturday job in a sports shop simply because he enjoys it, promoting a good work ethic.

His heart is huge; call it heart/bravery/guts/determination…whatever you want to call it, it makes for a good fighter and an endearing character. His boxing skills aren’t silky smooth, but they are solid and traditional. A good world champion.

But we all know why he didn’t want to make a unification fight with the likes of Richard Abril, Miguel Vasquez, Adrien Broner and Yuriorkis Gamboa hanging around. Although Broner is moving up in weight, perhaps that’s something Burns could do as well.

Although Junior Welterweight is one seriously hot division, where the likes of Lucas Matthysse, Danny Garcia, Mike Alvarado, and Juan Manuel Marquez reside.

Basically, Burns is making a wise decision; after all I can’t see him beating any of those names, as much as I like him.

His opponent tonight, Raymundo Beltran, is ranked sixth in the world at lightweight and although he isn’t as experienced on paper, 28-6-0 with 13 KO’s, he is perhaps more famous for being the long-time sparring partner of Manny Pacquiao.

Beltran is a tough Mexican, who likes to come forward and work off the counter up close and personal. He has been stopped twice in his career but he also has a better KO ratio than Burns at 50% to Ricky’s 28%
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Burns has faced come-forward fighters before in the shape of Michael Katsidis, and Burns, apart from a few scary moments, out boxed and outworked him to get the win.

Katsidis is relatively crude though; do not expect the same level of brawling from Beltran. Expect clever inside movements, bobbing, weaving to get in, work the angles and open Burns up.

If Burns can keep him on the end of the jab all night then, well, brilliant, but I don’t know if he will have the power to stop Beltran in his tracks or the ability to take him the distance. I hope he does.

Judging Burns’ last fight, against Jose Gonzalez, a talented up and comer, Ricky was behind on points by about four rounds going into the ninth before Gonzalez retired in his corner, claiming a broken arm or wrist.

Some say Ricky’s aggression and defiance broke Gonzalez’s heart, which is possible. Either way, had Gonzalez decided to continue, even with the one hand, counter-punched and danced his way through the last few rounds he probably would have won.

Beltran won’t be the kind of fighter to quit on his stool; he is very much a dangerous one for Burns.

However this may be like the time in 2010 when I said that Burns will be in serious trouble against Roman Martinez, and that he doesn’t really stand a chance.

I was not alone in that train of thought. I did the same thing when he fought against Katsidis come to think of it, yet Ricky Burns proved me wrong.

If he sticks to the game plan, doesn’t get caught up in a war and keeps it at long range all night then, then he will make me look silly for a third time, so I say Burns over the distance…wink wink.