By Mike Coppinger

BoxingScene.com has been advised by Golden Boy COO David Itskowitch and CEO Richard Schaefer that undefeated junior lightweight Adrien Broner will stay sharp ahead of a pivotal fall bout with RING No. 2 and WBO titlist Ricky Burns. Broner's return is "targeted" for Friday, Sept. 16 against an opponent to be determined.

A television outlet has not yet been secured for the Sept. 16, according to Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, but the bout with Burns will soon be set.

"I know that Adrien Broner is going to be fighting for the world title against Ricky Burns," said Schaefer. "I'm actually on my way over to England to sit down with Frank Warren to finalize the fight."

The Cincinnati-based Broner (21-0, 17 KOs) is coming off an impressive one-round destruction of Jason Litzau on HBO in June. Burns (32-2, 9 KOs) of Scotland is also coming off a one-round KO victory, his over Nicky Cook last month.

Mike Coppinger is a regular boxing freelancer for USA TODAY and Ring Magazine. He’s a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, the Ring Ratings Advisory Panel and the Yahoo! Sports Boxing Panel. Follow him on Twitter: @MikeCoppinger.