By Terence Dooley
Bantamweight contender Ryan Burnett (12-0, 9 early) will have a busy 2016 if Eddie Hearn gets his way. The promoter has pencilled the Adam Booth-trained boxer in for an undercard appearance on the Scott Quigg-Carl Frampton bill on February 27, he meets Anthony Settoul for the vacant WBC International title on that one.
Hearn also wants to showcase the Belfast-born boxer in his hometown as he bids to move the 23-year-old beyond the British title, which he won by decisioning Jason Booth late last year, and towards a tilt at a world crown.
“I cannot wait to perform in front of a sold-out crowd with so many fans coming over from Belfast,” said Burnett when speaking to the Belfast Telegraph about Hearn’s plans.
“The atmosphere is going to be electric and that's going to lift me to a career-best performance. This is a massive opportunity for me to impress on a huge occasion, and while I know Settoul will be coming over to spoil the party, there's no way I will let him.”
“Over the next 12 months, starting with February 27, I would like to see Ryan have five fights,” added Hearn. “He's a talented young man who can be pushed on—his coach Adam Booth has a lot of belief in him and Adam has worked with some great fighters. This is the perfect opportunity for Ryan and the timing couldn't be better. There's going to be about 10,000 Northern Irish fans in the arena supporting Carl Frampton against Scott Quigg.”
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