Eddie Hearn: There are big fights out there for Ricky Burns

16 April 2017 01:39

Promoter Eddie Hearn is confident that Ricky Burns can come back from his super-lightweight unification defeat to Julius Indongo on Saturday night.

Scotland's first three-weight world champion had put his WBA belt on the line, with the unbeaten Namibian putting his IBF and IBO titles up for grabs at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow.

However, Burns could find few answers to the awkward and rangy southpaw who triumphed via a unanimous points decision, with the Coatbridge fighter conceding that "the best man won" in what was the sixth defeat in his career from 48 bouts.

But Hearn has predicted more big fights in the future for the Scot, highlighting the defeat to Dejan Zlaticanin in their battle for the WBC International lightweight title in Glasgow three years ago as a reference point.

He said: "He can come back.

"It's not like after the Zlaticanin fight. Back then Ricky was about 10 levels below where he is now.

"That felt like the end of the world. This time he's lost a unification fight to a world champion.

"If he can come back from Zlaticanin, he can come back from this.

"There are big fights out there for Ricky. He would be happy fighting a four rounder at Bethnal Green.

"Obviously we don't want him to have those kinds of fights. It's up to us to make sure he's in those big fights.

"Although it was a convincing points win for Indonga, it wasn't like Ricky was battered or hurt, he was just outskilled by the better fighter.

"That was probably the worst style we could have found for him, but he was a world champion and the best chance to unify the division.

"There are big fights domestically and internationally, Adrien Broner is still out there and he will get calls to go to the United States. I am fairly upbeat.

"It's just the case he lost to someone who was very good."

Source: PA