By Scott Gilfoid: Former two division world champion Ricky Burns (37-4-1, 11 KOs) is talking about a possible big fight for him in the United States. He says he’s waiting for confirmation that he’ll get the fight. The name that is being talked about is IBF super featherweight champion Rances Barthelemy (21-0, 12 KOs) in a fight that would be staged in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I’m waiting for the final confirmation for a big fight possibly in America,” Burns said via Sky Ringside. “I can’t say much now but in the next couple of weeks it will be announced. I’ve put last year behind me and I still think I have big fights in me. The talk about this fight has brought the excitement back. I’ve got my fingers crossed that it will happen, but I think a lot of people will be looking forward to this fight,” Burns said.
I don’t know how the International Boxing Federation could sanction a fight between Burns and Barthelemy, given that Burns has lost two out of his last three fights and he’s not ranked in the top 15 at either super featherweight or lightweight. It would be a situation where Burns would be getting a title shot based on what he’s done in the past rather than what he’s done recently.
Burns is coming off of a dull 8 round points decision win over some obscure fighter named Alexandre Lepelley last October. Burns looked terrible. In Burns two previous fights, he was beaten by fringe contender Dejan Zlaticanin last June and before that a one-sided loss to Terence Crawford in March of last year.
Needless to say, Burns had a poor year in 2014. That’s why it seems to incredibly weird why Burns would be getting a world title shot off of two wins.
At 31, Burns looks totally shot as a fighter. I’m just surprised his promoter Eddie Hearn is able to get him big fights still, because with his recent losses, I don’t see him rating a title shot or even any kind of big fight. I just wonder when Hearn is going to cut his losses and let Burns go.
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