By Elliot Foster
Eddie Hearn has revealed to IFL TV that former two-weight world champion Ricky Burns, who faces Australia’s number eight-rated lightweight Josh King at the Echo Arena on Saturday, had been slated to face the former world title challenger Edis Tatli, from Finland, in a challenge for the European title last month.
But after it fell through and was “in a mess”, Hearn moved the Coatbridge fighter to this weekend’s card in Liverpool, which is topped by the all-Scouse clash between Callum Smith and Rocky Fielding.
“We made the [Tatli] fight with Pekka Mäki, Tatli’s manager, and it was all agreed,” said Hearn.
“His father then became ill and he didn’t want to box [at the Sheffield Arena] on October 24 or November 7.
“He’s boxing late November or early December.”
It would have been a good step up from Prince Ofotsu, who Burns bizarrely stopped in Hull in August, but the lack of fight with the Finnish star isn’t something that concerns the Matchroom promoter immensely.
“It was a really, really tough fight [for Burns],” said Hearn, "and it didn’t really position [Burns] that well in the world rankings.
“But we were up for the fight, then they didn’t want the fight, so we got another opponent in Josh King."
Elliot Foster is part of the UK Boxing Scene team. Follow him on Twitter @FreelanceFoz
