Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Rickster: I’m all in for Broner
Dream Vegas showdown awaits
Ricky Burns has set his sights on The Strip and the fight of a lifetime in Las Vegas.
The WBA super- lightweight title holder from Coatbridge set up a showdown with American Adrien Broner after defeating Belarusian Kiryl Relikh on Friday night. Burns sealed victory on points at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow. Now he wants to fulfil a lifelong ambition and step through the ropes in Nevada’s playground. He said: “I’m more than happy to go over to America and fight. “Adrien Broner when he is on his game is a very good fighter. “I’ve always said that I’d love a big fight over there and fingers crossed that it comes off. “I’ve always said in my career – if the money’s right, I’ll fight anybody. “I’ve been over there on holiday a few times and I don’t see the point in going anywhere else now.” Fight boss Eddie Hearn will aim to get a deal done with Broner’s promoters and is keen on taking Burns to the US. He said: “Scotland’s had some great nights with Ricky Burns – now I think it is time to go on the road.
“I think the fans here would love Vegas. Adrien Broner is 100 per cent the fight that he wants. The terms are virtually there and we’ll try and get it in December.
“That’s the fight he’s been searching for for many years. We’re looking for the big unification fights – it’s time to go to that next level and roll the dice every time.”
The judges scored Friday’s contest 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 but Hearn felt the fight was closer than the cards suggested.
“I thought 118-110 was very wide – I had it by three rounds,” he said.
“But I think his experience was massive. Kiryl Relikh is a great young fighter. He works really hard.
“But the old wise boy outfoxed him in the end.”