Ricky Burns has returned to the gym again after being given the all-clear to resume his boxing career.

Burns had to undergo surgery after breaking his jaw during a controversial draw with Raymundo Beltran in September.

But the World Boxing Organization's lightweight champion says he is still planning on returning to the ring as early as possible with a title defence against Terence Crawford in Glasgow scheduled for February.

He told Sky Sports News: "When I was in to see the surgeon last week, (we) got an X-ray and they're happy the way the bone's healing. The bone's knitting together nice. They still can't tell what it's going to be like, obviously when it starts taking punches again when I start back sparring.

"We've got a deadline before we need to fight Terence Crawford, when I spoke to the surgeons they said the later I could have the fight the better, if it was only a couple of weeks it's a couple more weeks for the jaw (to heal).

"They're happy with the way it's going and they're confident that I should be fine."

An immediate rematch with Beltran was ruled out when the WBO ordered Burns to take on mandatory challenger, Crawford, in a fifth defence of his belt.