By Mark Vester
Promoter Frank Warren will have to find another route for WBO super featherweight champion Ricky Burns. Warren had hoped to stage a fall rematch between Burns and Scottish rival Alex Arthur. Back in February 2006, Arthur won a decision over Burns to retain his British, Commonwealth and European super featherweight titles.
Arthur is now fighting in the lightweight division and says there is no way that he can make the super featherweight limit of 130-pounds for a Burns rematch. Arthur won a decision over Peter McDonagh on the undercard to Burns’ upset win over Roman Martinez. If Burns were to vacate his title and move up to lightweight division in the future, Arthur would welcome a rematch.
“There is just no way that I will ever fight at super-featherweight again,” said Arthur to The Herald. “When I fought Ricky back in 2006 I had to lose 10lbs in the last two days previous to the fight. My calves turned blue and they were so stiff they were like iron, the cramping was terrible. I took a salt drink to try and combat the dehydration and it was the worst thing I could have done. It almost killed me.
“I am a family man now with a beautiful wife and three young kids and there is just no way I am going to risk all that for boxing. I know it would be a super fight in Scottish terms, a sell-out and the first time two Scots had ever fought for a world title, but I just can’t go through that again and put my life on the line.”
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