I’ve got a glove affair with my pal Josh
RICKY BURNS insists a showdown with Josh Taylor wouldn’t be a grudge match.
The former three-weight world champion has been called out by the Edinburgh rising star in the last 12 months – and it got heated ringside when Taylor fought in Glasgow in the summer.
Burns was on television duty and was goaded from the ring. But he said: “I get on well with Josh. People on social media thought there was a bit of aggro between us when he called me out. But I’ve not got a problem with Josh, far from it.
“I like him. He came up at the Sunday Mail Sports Awards the other week and we had a selfie. He put it up on Twitter and said something like, ‘Thankfully we managed to avoid a square go!’ I was laughing because he texted me to say he was doing it.
“We’ve sparred together in the past. I had him in the gym when he was an amateur and I know he’s a good fighter.
“It’s maybe a bit like myself and Alex Arthur. Before I fought Alex we sparred a few times and got on really well.
“When the bell goes it’s strictly business. It would be the same with Josh.”
Burns refused to rule out a Scottish mega fight with Taylor but admitted the chance might have gone.
He said: “I’ve always said if the fight makes financial sense I’d be happy to face him and I’m sure it would be a big fight in Scotland.
“But I went back down to lightweight for the Anthony Crolla fight and I honesty think that’s where I should be. Josh is a big light welter, so he’s not coming down.
“I guess we’ll have to wait and see if we ever get it on.”