RICKY BURNS, the former world champion, is poised to make his comeback on Friday, June 27 after splitting with his long-time trainer Billy Nelson.
The 30-year-old Coatbridge boxer's promoter, Eddie Hearn, is understood to have provisionally booked Braehead Arena for Burns' return following his WBO lightweight title defeat by American Terence Crawford six weeks ago.
Hearn is also believed to be close to agreeing a deal with the WBC's fourth-ranked contender Javier Prieto, a 26-year-old Mexican and the current holder of the Silver lightweight title.
Hearn is confident that a win for Burns, who is also a former WBO super-featherweight champion, will earn him a third world title shot against the WBC champion Omar Figueroa, the 24-year-old Texan who is undefeated in 23 starts.
Burns' decision to leave Nelson in the wake of only his third defeat in 40 contests - in an effort to freshen up his training programme - has come as something of a surprise, but the latter is adamant that the break-up has not left a bitter aftertaste.
"Ricky has made a decision which he thinks will benefit his career, and while I may feel he has not made the right choice, as I feel I am as good a coach as any in the UK, I can accept that," said Nelson.
"I get on really well with Ricky and have hardly had a cross word with him in all the time we've been together. Hopefully he will win a world title again. He's definitely still got it in him."
Bitter cruiserweight rivals Stephen Simmons and Wadi Comacho will also feature on the Burns undercard in June.
The pair angrily clashed at a press conference in January when 29-year-old WBC International Silver champion Simmons, from Edinburgh, accused Camacho of disrespecting his family on Twitter.
They very nearly came to blows and Simmons vowed to send his rival "home in a coma" after offering to fight Comacho in the car park.
But Simmons was later forced to pull-out of the SECC show on March 1 after picking up a rib injury while sparring.
Meanwhile, Willie Limond, the Commonwealth light-welterweight champion, has turned down the opportunity to sign a fresh contract with Glasgow fight manager Tommy Gilmour at the age of 35.
"There are no bad feelings," insisted Gilmour. "Willie's contract was up and as he is in the twilight of his career there are things he wants to arrange for himself, which is fair enough."
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