Commonwealth super-featherweight champion Ricky Burns has had enough of Kevin Mitchell – and wants WBO champion Rocky Martinez instead. The Scottish slickster makes the third defence of his title at the Bellahouston Sports Centre in Glasgow on Friday night against Kevin O’Hara. Sky Sports televise live. And if he wins he is hoping he will improve his WBO rating – and get a straight shot at Martinez. “I want Mitchell but if he’s not up for the scrap then I want Martinez,” said 26-year-old Burns..
“I’m ranked number four by the WBO at the moment, so I could be in line for a crack at Martinez without having to go through Mitchell first.
“And I’m really confident that I could beat Martinez – in fact, I’d run rings around him.
“I was impressed with the way in which he dealt Nicky Cook, but Cook was winning that fight until he got caught with a good punch.
“I wouldn’t make the same kind of mistake against Martinez, and I’d love to get him over to Scotland and box his head off.
“We had a Scottish WBO super-featherweight champion in Alex Arthur, and I can bring that title back here if I’m given my opportunity.
“I’ve got two defeats on my record, but people forget that when I lost to Arthur and Carl Johanneson I was young and inexperienced.
“In the last couple of years I’ve really come on, and I’ve improved so much in my last six or seven fights.”
MOORE FIZZING FOR COLAS
JAMIE MOORE will make the second defence of his European light-middleweight title at Leigh Indoor Sports Centre on Friday July 24.
On the same FTM bill hard-hitting Gary Davies puts his British bantamweight title on the line for the first time, when he faces classy Londoner Ian Napa (18-7)
Moore who was elevated to number three in the WBC rankings last week puts his title on the line against France’s Jimmy Colas (27-6).
Salford southpaw Moore (32-3) overcame career threatening injuries before winning the European title earlier this year knocking out ex-world champ Michele Piccirillo inside three rounds.
Moore said: “There is a lot of talk about me challenging Sergio Martinez for the WBC word title, but he is furthest from my mind.
“The biggest concerns are Colas and another Frenchman Christophe Canclaux who I have to face in September.
“Beat them and then Martinez becomes a real possibility for me early next year.”
Moore won the title in March knocking out Michele Piccirillo in three rounds. In his only defence six weeks ago he stopped Russian Roman Dzuman.
St Helens’s Davies (9-2-1) has emerged in recent months and showed impressive power overcoming Welshman Matthew Edmonds to become Britain’s 118lb king in April.
Napa, 31, is in the last chance saloon having lost the European title to Malik Bouziane three months ago.
Maloney hopes to the winner will get the next shot at Bouziane.
Tickets for the show are available at £90 and £45 from all fighters, 0871 226 1508 and www.frankmaloney.com. Those who buy from the website will receive a discount.
JEFFRIES AND DAZZLER IN MACKEM MADNESS
WORLD boxing’s top prospects Tony Jeffries and Darren ‘Dazzler’ Sutherland will get an eyeful of each other on Friday July 10.
The Beijing bronze medallists who are on a collision course to eventually meet both face European opposition in super-middleweight six rounders at Sunderland’s Seaburn Centre.
Top of the FTM promoted bill is Lee Haskins British super-flyweight title defence against fighting soldier Ross Burkinshaw.
It is another hometown fight for Jeffries (2-0), who is fast emerging as the north-east’s most popular fighter of all time.
‘Jaffa’ , 24, is tipped do to for north-east boxing what Ricky Hatton did for the fight game in Manchester.
The Beijing hero’s homecoming in April was a special night with Crowtree Leisure Centre bursting at the seams for his second round win against Roy Meissner.
And Sky Sports were so impressed with his fanatical support they are back for more.
Dubliner Sutherland, 27, has looked sensational since switching codes and is eyeing Jeffries and Olympic conqueror James DeGale.
Sutherland (3-0) is based in London and trainer Brian Lawrence says: “Forget everybody else, Dazzler is the real deal.”
The cream of boxing talent in the north-east will also box on the card including local heavyweights Dave Ferguson and Danny Hughes. Newcastle’s fighting brothers John Lewis Dickinson and Travis Dickinson are also in action.
Tickets prices £80, £40 are expected to sell-out in days. You can get yours from 0871 226 1508, www.frankmaloney.com and Phil Jeffries 0191 564 0202