PROMOTER Eddie Hearn claims Ricky Burns refused easier options to take a โnightmareโ fight with Julius Indongo.
Burns will face the unbeaten Namibian for the WBA, IBF and IBO World super-lightweight titles to unify the division at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on April 15.
The 33-year-old Scot became a three-weight world champion when he claimed the vacant WBA title by beating Michele di Rocco last year.
Press conf tomorrow 12pm Marriott Hotel, Glasgow all welcome! #BurnsIndongo #EdwardsButcher #CardleBarrett #JohnsonHyppolite #FlynnCollins pic.twitter.com/GCf2cjXL20
โ Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) March 12, 2017
Indongo, 34, won the IBF and IBO titles with a stunning first round knock-out of Russian Eduard Troyanovsky in Moscow in December and when Burns was given the option of a unification fight his mind was quickly set.
Hearn said: โIndongo is a tall, rangy fighter that can punch, who not a lot of people know a lot about. So yes, absolutely a nightmare. Other fights came up, bigger names but were easier.
โObviously I went to Ricky and said you can fight this guy for X money or this horrible nightmare for less money, what you want to do? He said I will fight the horrible guy for less money, I have won three world championships and I want to unify.
Good spar with @_John_Ryder_ this morning! 4 min rnds are the worst especially when the gorilla is chasing you about???? pic.twitter.com/YwMsKd77lZ
โ Ricky Burns (@ricksterko) March 12, 2017
โI phoned Alex (Morrison, Burnsโ manager) who agreed with me 100 per cent as any advisor would and said he would give him a call. He phoned me back 10 minutes later and said it was a complete waste of time, the only fight he wants is Indongo. So he has his chance.
โIt is a 50-50 fight really. You would like to think that Indongo could fold under the pressure of coming to Glasgow with the amazing crowd but then you realise he went to Russia and knocked out the champion so you canโt look for that for inspiration. This is the icing on the cake, this is the one he wants more than anything.โ
Hard week nearly finished, 10rnds sparring today again and gym tonight for run and strength work. 5 weeks to go????????
โ Ricky Burns (@ricksterko) March 10, 2017
Burns, in the middle of his training camp, was determined to nail down a unification fight after years of speculation.
He said: โThere were a couple of options but these unification fights have been dangled in front of me, talked about throughout my whole career even at the weights below and so you canโt expect me not to jump at it.
โI know it is a much harder fight, a riskier fight. But every fight is a risk. I am confident of going out and getting a win.โ