Burnett’s got the ‘game plan’ to win

DEFENDING WBA World bantamweight champion Ryan Burnett from Belfast and his 31-year-old Venezuelan opponent Yonfrez Parejo couldn’t be separated on the scales ahead of their title fight tonight in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

Both weighed in at eight stone and five pounds, one pound inside the bantamweight limit. Twenty-fiveyear-old Burnett is 1/25 favourite to retain the WBA belt which he secured in his native city last October with an unanimous points win over the then title holder Zhanat Zhakiyanov, who has since retired.

In November 2015 Zhakiyanov beat Parejo on a split decision in Monte Carlo when the interim WBA title was up for grabs. It was Parejo’s first professional fight outside his native continent. He bounced back to win his next four fights which leaves him with a formidable record of 21 wins – ten inside the distance, two defeats and one draw.

Even though he has boxed just 105 rounds boxing – compared by Parejo’s 149 – Barrett has rarely been outside his comfort zone in fashioning with 18-0-0 pro record.

However, his last two contests were particularly gruelling affairs with Burnett ending up in hospital afterwards. His forehead was split following a clash of heads during his IBF bantamweight title fight against Lee Haskins last June.

The showdown against the formidable Zhakiyanov in Belfast’s SSE Arena was an even more gruelling affair. Burnett pulled a ligament in his neck in the fifth round, then suffering a temporary loss of hearing in the dressing room afterwards and finally starting passing blood while in the hospital’s accident and emergency department. But he received the medical all-clear to resume his career.

Burnett is looking forward to perform before an estimated attendance of 80,000, though after all the drama he endured in his last two contests, a relatively low-key win inside the distance would do nicely.

The chances are, though, that the fight will go the scheduled 12 rounds as Burnett hasn’t stopped an opponent since 2015. Either way the defending title holder is confident of holding on to his WBA belt. “I’ve got a great game plan,” he insisted. “His style suits my style perfectly.”

Forced to surrender his IBF title because scheduling problems, caused by an enforced break while recovering from the neck injury he sustained against Zhakiyanov, meant he wasn’t available for the mandatory defence of the belt, Burnett is putting everything on the line tonight.

But he should prevail against an opponent who appears to struggle to find his best form when he travels. Their clash is the second-last fight before the heavyweight showdown between defending WBA and IBF title holder Anthony Joshua and WBO belt holder Joseph Parker.

Coincidentally Parker and Burnett first exhibited their potential at the 2010 World youth championship in Baku with the New Zealander winning a bronze medal in the super heavyweight class while Burnett picked up a silver in the light fly class.