By Alexey Sukachev

Looks like a newly-crowned Scottish WBO super featherweight champion Ricky Burns (29-2, 7 KOs) will have a soft first threat for his regalia. According to several Polish sources, Burns, who has recently come out as winner of a memorable war with previously undefeated titlist Roman “Rocky” Martinez on September 4, faces aging Polish lightweight Maciej “Matt” Zegan (42-6-2, 21 KOs) three months after on Dec. 4 in London as a part of a huge tournament, pre-planned by British top promoter Frank Warren. The fight will reportedly be Burns’ initial title defense; Zegan being presently ranked #3 by the WBO at lightweight limit.

The Polish veteran was once best known for his spirited effort against long-time WBO champion Artur Grigoryan in early 2003, when he dropped a close and somewhat controversial majority decision while fighting at champion’s backyard. Since then “Z-Gun” compiled a streak of victories over sub-par opposition but then saw his career almost ruined after three consecutive defeats (a shutout vs. Nate Campbell in the IBF eliminator, upset loss to little-known 16-13 Noel Cortez and a TKO defeat from Damian Fuller). Zegan came back in November 2008 with an entertaining eight-round decision over Dariusz Snarski to capture a vacant Baltic Boxing Union belt in what was his probably biggest win in several years. It got worse for Zegan after that. He took a year off only to be defeated by fellow compatriot Krzysztof Cieslak in his comeback on Oct. 24, 2009, and then had a hard time putting his career back on track.

This year, once one of the Poland’s finest, is just 2-0-2 with a dubious win over French Pierre Francois Bonnicel to get a WBO rank and a draw with 7-3 Johnny Ibramov. His recent setback came along just days before, when the 34-year old Pole dropped a six-round decision to German rookie Boris Berg (3-0 at the time of the fight); the result ridiculously being changed to a draw two days after by the GBA board under much ballyhooed and controversial circumstances with Team Berg shouting a robbery. The fight itself (aside the fifth round) can be seen on Youtube here. (This reporter saw those five rounds 48-47 – for the Pole).

Nevertheless, though some experts predict it cannot be any easier than that for the 27-year old Scotsman. A majority of Polish fans are sure that Zegan, obviously an underdog whose better days belong to his past, will have a chance for one of the soundest upsets in 2010.