THE SSE Hydro will be rocking on the evening of May 28 when Ricky Burns squares off with Michele di Rocco for the vacant WBA light-welterweight title and the privilege of being Scotland's first-ever three-weight World Champion. This is appropriate, because the decibel levels were similarly high on the Scot's two previous visits.
The 32-year-old, a former WBO super-featherweight and lightweight world champion, has a passion for hard rock which he has indulged with trips to see acts like Nickelback, Whitesnake and Def Leppard at this venue. In late May, though, its first professional boxing show will see this atmospheric ampitheatre on the banks of the Clyde host a different kind of headbanging. "They were all rock bands, that is the kind of music I am into," he said. "But whenever I have been in there for gigs I have always been thinking 'this would be a great place to fight'."
While Burns (39-5-1, 13 KOs) sometimes seems reluctant to take centre stage, emotions will be running high on the night when he fights in front of his ain folk for the first time in two years. This is an uncomplicated young man but the recent period in his life has been anything but. He left Frank Warren's stable for Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Promotions, a decision which led to a lengthy courtroom wrangle with his former promoter which left the Scot penniless.
Then there were the losses, three of them in ten months, culminating in a crushing split decision at Braehead in June 2014 which went to Dejan Zlaticanin of Montenegro. His response was to move to London, and get in tow with Anthony Joshua's trainer Tony Sims. Confidence was gained with a solid showing in defeat against Omar Figueroa in Texas, and he has since fought in Yorkshire and Liverpool. Burns will be back with a bang for the Scottish boxing crowd come late May.
"In life, things happen," said Burns. "The past couple of years have been a bit up and down for me. But we’re moving forward now.
"The last couple of years, obviously I’ve been keeping a low profile," he added. "I’ve been fighting away from home, on the road – Texas, Liverpool, Leeds, Hull. A lot of people actually thought I’d packed boxing in!
"All the press today, I’ve not had to do any for two years. I think you all know I’ve never enjoyed the limelight, so in a way the two years have been enjoyable. But now I’m back. The next ten weeks are going to be fun and games."
Indeed they will be, against an Italian opponent in Di Rocco (40-1-1, 18 KOs) who is ready for his role as pantomime villain. Undefeated in the last eight years, Di Rocca cut a menacing, oversized figure at yesterday's press conference. The carrot for both fighters is a potentially life-changing mandatory crack at Adrian Broner, the flashy US boxer who himself is a four-weight world champion. A confident Di Rocco was a tad disrespectful when it came to his opponent's chances.
“This is a great opportunity against a high level boxer who is a little bit past his prime," said Di Rocco. “The last two or three fights show Burns is a technical boxer with a decent punch but not enough power. The atmosphere will be fantastic but it will be even better when they announce the new world champion, me."
Burns, it was worth reminding ourselves, is the younger man and has no shortage of motivation. "When I'm speaking to my family and Tony my trainer I am just saying 'there is no way I am losing this fight'," he said. "There is too much incentive. The next ten weeks, going back to training camp, I will put myself through hell but it is all going to be worth it on fight night."
While the next generation of Scottish fighters, Charlie Flynn and Joe Ham, are also on the bill, such is the affection for Burns that there is an omnipresent fear of one fight too many, but the 32-year-old is having none of it. "Boxing is all I’ve done since I was young, I love it, it’s what I do," said Burns, who memorably earned a draw with Raymundo Beltran despite a broken jaw in 2013. "A few times people have said 'what do you going to keep fighting for?' But although I have been in hard fights I haven't really taken too many punches. I have another few years in me.
"We know it’s going to be a hard fight," he added. "Technically, he’s a very good boxer, he can punch and he has an outstanding record. But it’s a winnable fight."
Burns may have to be carried out of the ring before he stops fighting. But let's hope, come late May, he is simply being carried out of the Hydro shoulder high as a three-weight world champion.
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