Glasgow Times

Burns up for all-Scots showdown with Taylor

- By CHRIS JACK

RICKY BURNS admits he would be open to an allScottis­h showdown with Josh Taylor – but he has his sights set on Mancunian Anthony Crolla.

Tartan Tornado Taylor called Burns out in the aftermath of his victory over Ohara Davies at the Braehead Arena on Saturday.

And the former WBA super-lightweigh­t champion insists the ball is in Taylor’s court if they want to get to- gether in the ring. Burns said: “Like I said after the fight and I said to Barry (McGuigan), if they are serious about making an offer they have got Eddie Hearn’s phone number.

“I am in this game to fight anybody at all. That would be a big fight in Scotland. There have been a few names mentioned, which I believe would be bigger fights, but we will see what offer they come up with. I am open to any fight.”

Burns is plotting his next move in the ring following his unificatio­n defeat to Julius Indongo in front of a huge crowd in Glasgow in April.

A bout with Crolla is on the cards as he looks to rebuild his career after losing his WBA lightweigh­t crown to Jorge Linares last year.

And Burns believes that is a fight that would bring out supporters both north and south of the border as he plots his return to action in the coming months.

He said: “A few weeks ago that fight Crolla was offered to me and my immediate reaction was ‘let’s do it’. We were just waiting to get the reply back from Anthony and his team.

“Last week people got a hold of it on social media and the response that we got was unbelievab­le. This is a fight that the fans really want.

“The fight has been spoken about since we have both been at lightweigh­t and it was mentioned when I was world champion.

“Both of us are in the same position right now, both former world champions looking for that big fight to get a high ranking again.

“So why not? Manchester or Glasgow, I am sure the fans would come out and show their support.”

Meanwhile, David Haye intends to get back into ring in December as he targets a return from the Achilles injury suffered in his heavyweigh­t defeat to Tony Bellew in April.

“I will be back in the ring in December, who that will be against, I don’t know,” Haye said.

 ??  ?? Ricky Burns has urged Josh Taylor’s camp to come forward with an offer
Ricky Burns has urged Josh Taylor’s camp to come forward with an offer

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