By Scott Gilfoid: WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (35-2, 10 KO’s) could be facing undefeated but badly inexperienced Colombian Darley Perez (26-0, 19 KO’s) for Burns’ next title defense on December 15th at the ExCel Arena, Dockland, London, United Kingdom. Also on this card former WBO featherweight champion Scott Harrison (27-2-2, 15 KO’s) is being talked about in a fight against either Kevin Mitchell or John Murray with the winner of that fight facing Burns in his next title defense in mid-2013.

Alex Morrison, the manager for Burns, told eveningtimes.co.uk “The Colombian [Perez] is certainly a name that we are talking about with a view to Ricky’s next defense.. Scott Harrison has also been offered a slot at the ExCal Arena against either Kevin Mitchell or John Murray.”

Morrison goes on to say that the winner of those fights could face Burns.

If you ask me that’s pretty sad all the way around. Harrison, 35, isn’t even ranked in the top 15 in the lightweight division and has fought only twice in the last seven years. I don’t care if he does beat Murray or Mitchell, and I definitely have doubts he can do that, Harrison shouldn’t be able to get a title shot against Burns from beating one of those guys.

What would be really sad is if Mitchell was the one that faced Harrison and beat him, setting up another fight between Burns and Mitchell. We just saw Burns easily beat Mitchell by a 4th round knockout last month, and it would be so sad that Mitchell would be allowed to get another shot against Burns. That shows you how few options there are for fighters in the UK to fight. They obviously prefer to fight local fighters because those are the guys that the Brits want to see, but it’s so disappointing how these fighters are recycled over and over again to the point where it’s not even interesting. Hopefully, the World Boxing Organization says no to Burns fighting Harrison or Mitchell again. I don’t even want to see Burns fight Murray because the fact that he was already destroyed by Brandon Rios and Kevin Mitchell makes him a terrible choice to fight Burns.

Perez, 29, has a flashy unbeaten record but he’s not faced anyone that you could consider good. His opposition has been woeful his entire three year pro career and it looks like he’s been brought up on journeyman and 3rd tier opposition. I rate Perez, #4 WBA, #11 WBO, #12 WBC, as a bottom 40 fighter.