Pro boxing duo are an inspiration to kids

Keir Hardie ABC head coach Barry Clark says having Ricky Burns on their books is an inspiration to young boxers, and hopes it helps Mark Mckeown reach the heights of his Coatbridge pal.

Former three-weight world champion Burns has been training in the gym and sparring with Mckeown, which helped both of them win fights on Probellum Unstoppable in Sunderland earlier this month.

Clark hopes to have them both on another major Probellum bill in Glasgow in March or April next year, which he says will further raise the profile of his successful club.

He told the Advertiser:“ricky coming into the gym is brilliant for all aspects of the club.

“It’s great seeing some of the younger, more aspiring boys looking up to Ricky and Mark, and they see the effort that they put in to their training. It has been brilliant.

“I’m over the moon with the two boys last week.

“It was a quite high-calibre show we managed to get going and it was great to get Ricky and Mark on that – Mark especially, because Ricky’s signed to Probellum, so it was a wee added bonus.

“There’s maybe a chance of a show in Glasgow from Probellum in March or April as well, so we’re hoping Ricky and Mark are able to get on that, but obviously at this point it’s a wait-andsee kind of thing.

“Both boys are at different stages of their career and we’re trying to push Mark to try and get up to the levels that Ricky is at.”