WBO Lightweight champion Ricky Burns will defend his title against top contender Terrence Crawford on March 1st in Glasgow, Scotland according to Dan Rafael of espn.com
“I hope Burns is ready to walk to hell and back,” Crawford said. “I’m going to fight with all my heart. I have the determination and the skill to win the world title and bring it home.”
Added Top Rank’s Bob Arum, Crawford’s promoter, “We believe Terence Crawford is ready to win the title and take it home to Omaha.”
“I have a point to prove [against Crawford]. I’ve had two bad performances. We’ve made a few changes and some adjustments,” Burns said. “We’re going to be doing things differently, and fingers crossed that we see a new Ricky Burns on March 1. As soon as the jaw injury happened against Beltran I went into survival mode. Everybody knew that something was wrong, even if they didn’t know exactly what it was.
“When the final bell went, I wasn’t caring about the decision. I just knew that I had done damage. The first couple of months after the operation were a nightmare. They told me to watch what I was eating and I could hardly open my mouth. I couldn’t speak.”
Although many will pick the younger, faster, fresher Crawford to win, Burns, who will be making his fifth title defense, is confident.
“Everybody is writing me off again with Terence but that doesn’t bother me,” said Burns, 30, a former junior lightweight titlist. “I like being the underdog and I can’t wait to get back out there again in front of another great Glasgow crowd.”
“This is a must-win fight for Ricky and perhaps the toughest of his incredible career,” said Matchroom Promotions Eddie Hearn. “Ricky is more determined than I’ve ever seen him, and to have that frame after the injury that he suffered during the Beltran fight is testament to the type of character and fighter he is.
“Crawford is hot property in the States but we managed to bring him here, out of his comfort zone. And right now Ricky needs the people of Scotland behind him more than ever. March 1 will be a special night at the SECC, the latest chapter of the remarkable Ricky Burns story.”
