The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)

Broner fight remains a possibilit­y, says Burns

World champion wants to organise a fight in Las Vegas next year

- GAVIN MCCAFFERTY

Ricky Burns believes a title fight with Adrien Broner remains a possibilit­y, despite the American fixing up another opponent.

Three-weight world champion Burns has long fancied a tilt at Broner, who this year vacated the WBA super-lightweigh­t title the Scot went on to claim.

Broner has arranged a contest with Adrian Granados on February 11, more than 10 months after his previous bout, but Burns is hopeful that will be a warm-up to a meeting with him in Las Vegas during 2017.

“That was the fight we were keen on,” said the Coatbridge boxer, who was helping launch the new North Lanarkshir­e Sporting Hall of Fame.

“Adrien hadn’t fought in a while and I think he was wanting another fight first.”

“I have had a couple of big wins and I would like to keep the momentum going.

“I wouldn’t want to be out of the ring for that length of time.”

Other fights have been mooted, including a rematch with Terence Crawford, who holds the WBO and WBC belts, but the talk of a contest with Broner continues.

“I think it’s just because it has been talked about that much,” Burns said. “There has been a lot of interest in it. “The fight was meant to happen when we were both at super-feather and lightweigh­t, and now up again.

“But there’s been a few big names mentioned for me so I wouldn’t say it’s necessaril­y going to be Broner in my next fight.”

The 33-year-old is keen to appear in Las Vegas at some point, though.

“I fought in Texas before, but I have always said I would love to go and fight in Vegas,” said Burns, who defended his title with a tough points victory over Kiryl Relikh last month.

“I’ve been there on holiday a few times and I don’t see the point going anywhere else now.

“To walk out in one of those venues over there would be a dream come true.”

 ?? Picture: SNS Group. ?? Ricky Burns at the launch of the North Lanarkshir­e Sporting Hall of Fame in Motherwell.
Picture: SNS Group. Ricky Burns at the launch of the North Lanarkshir­e Sporting Hall of Fame in Motherwell.

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