Ricky Burns has to travel to Puerto Rico for his WBO Shot.
Jim Black
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So far, of the country’s 15 champions, only Ken Buchanan has overcome all obstacles in the path of a Scot attempting to secure a full-blown world title on foreign soil.
The gifted Edinburgh boxer did so in 1970 when he defeated Ismael Laguna, of Panama, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, by dint of a points win, to secure the World Boxing Association lightweight title.
Now Ricky Burns must match Buchanan’s feat after it was confirmed yesterday that the 26-year-old from Coatbridge will challenge Puerto Rican Roman Martinez for his World Boxing Organisation crown on March 6.
The fact that the WBO’s headquarters are based in that country adds to the magnitude of Burns’ task following his manager Alex Morrison’s decision to sign a five-figure contract giving Martinez home advantage.
Morrison rejected an earlier offer from the Martinez camp of £50,000 tax-free, but he revealed that the new deal is worth substantially more.
“We would obviously prefer that the fight was taking place in Scotland but it proved impossible to put together an attractive enough package to persuade Martinez to come here,” said Morrison.
Burns, for his part, insisted: “Fighting away from home holds no fears for me. That takes all the pressure off me and lets me get on with what I have to do.
“But I will have to go out and win much more clearly to get the verdict than if the fight was happening in Glasgow. I will either have to stop him or win every round convincingly because, if it’s close, Martinez having home advantage could go against me.
“But I have boxed away from home in the past and handled it and I know that I have the tools in the bag to beat Martinez. I watched his fight with Nicky Cook, when he won the title last March, and Cook was beating him until he decided to stand and trade punches.
“I won’t make the same mistake. My trainer, Billy Nelson, and I sat down and had a chat about the best way to approach this fight and we have been working on my speed and movement.”
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/...-rico-1.996865
Cant see Burns winning the title in Puerto Rico.
Re: Ricky Burns has to travel to Puerto Rico for his WBO Shot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skel1983
Cant see Burns winning the title in Puerto Rico.
If he does it will catapult Burns into Fighter of the Year contention because it will be an amazing performance. It's not quite the mismatch of Cotto v Jennings or Pavlik v Lockett, but it's definitely in that kind of ballpark.
Re: Ricky Burns has to travel to Puerto Rico for his WBO Shot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
superheavyrhun
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skel1983
Cant see Burns winning the title in Puerto Rico.
If he does it will catapult Burns into Fighter of the Year contention because it will be an amazing performance. It's not quite the mismatch of Cotto v Jennings or Pavlik v Lockett, but it's definitely in that kind of ballpark.
you never know man, burns is big for the weight and is massively improving
with the two fights you mention the winners were both much bigger than their opponent
I think he has much more of a chance
Re: Ricky Burns has to travel to Puerto Rico for his WBO Shot.
I must admit that my view of this is coloured by my dislike of Ricky Burns, he just seems like quite a dirty fighter, and to see him getting a shot he is fortunate to get doesn't warm him to me either.
His finishing move on Michael Gomez was just plain nasty, a forearm under the chin to hold his head still, then a right just doesn't sit well.
He's got a good chin to have gone 12 with Arthur and Johanneson, but I really think Burns will be way out of his depth, despite his size being more even than those I mentioned before.
Re: Ricky Burns has to travel to Puerto Rico for his WBO Shot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
superheavyrhun
I must admit that my view of this is coloured by my dislike of Ricky Burns, he just seems like quite a dirty fighter, and to see him getting a shot he is fortunate to get doesn't warm him to me either.
His finishing move on Michael Gomez was just plain nasty, a forearm under the chin to hold his head still, then a right just doesn't sit well.
He's got a good chin to have gone 12 with Arthur and Johanneson, but I really think Burns will be way out of his depth, despite his size being more even than those I mentioned before.
maybe, but he is a much better fighter now than he was when he fought arthur and johanneson
i didnt notice him being dirty against Gomez and I am a manc and Gomez has been one of my favourite fighters over the last few years
maybe he was tho
