By Terence Dooley

Eddie Hearn has told Scottish boxing fans that they will see the best of Coatbridge's Ricky Burns when he meets Italy's Michele Di Rocco for the vacant WBA World light-welterweight title at Glasgow's SSE Hydro Arena on Saturday night.

Burns hopes to net a third world title while Hearn wants to use the occasion as a springboard for a Scottish boxing revival after revealing that fans north of the border have been persistent in their demands for big shows.

“My social media gets plagued every day from Scottish fight fans saying: 'You've walked out on us.',” admitted Hearn when speaking to the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser.

“But I've said that when we get a chance we would be back in a flash.  We've been looking for that big fight and we needed some new blood to come through—Joe Ham and Charlie Flynn are doing that.  When the world title fight came along it was the perfect opportunity.

He added: “The Hydro is a venue I've wanted to come to for a long time.  We had the darts here and we feel that for boxing it will be really special.  I know there would be support here after being away for two years.  I'm excited to be back and I'm excited for Ricky.  It's good to see him smiling.  It's a 50-50 fight against a guy who is unbeaten in eight years and I think the styles will gel as well.”

Burns’s form dipped following his world title defeat to Terence Crawford in 2014.  A decision loss to Dejan Zlaticanin in his next fight rubbed salt into his wounds.

However, he looked better against Omar Figueroa Junior last May despite a decision loss and has regrouped under new trainer Tony Sims.  Hearn rubbished the notion that Burns has been in decline in recent years, saying: “I know Ricky has made adjustments and improvements under [trainer] Tony Sims but he is probably, ability-wise, the same fighter that boxed Terence Crawford.

“I don't think there has been any decline.  At this stage of his career, I don't think he is going to make huge improvements because he fights like he likes to fight.  How often do you get it in Scottish boxing and British boxing for a fighter to become a three-weight world champion?  It just does not happen anymore.  That's the main motivator for him in this fight.

“We looked at what opportunities there were at lightweight—and there were some.  But when this came up he said that he could become a three-weight world champion and that he had to take it.  He gives away a bit in size like he did against Omar Figueroa but he has the home support.  And he trains so hard.  I watch him down in Essex and it is like he has never lost a world title.”

With Charlie Flyn and Joe Ham providing local support, a win for Burns could help turn the Hydro into the go-to venue for Scottish boxing as well as creating a platform for the development of talent, which gives Burns even more impetus ahead of what could be a make-or-break night for the former titlist.

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