Ricky Burns and Michele Di Rocco will face off over a scheduled 12 rounds for the vacant WBA World super lightweight title at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday, May 21.
Adrien Broner had been stripped of the title when he failed to make weight prior to his April 1 clash with Ashley Theophane, a bout Broner won by ninth-round TKO.
Burns, who turns 33 today, is a 15-year pro (39-5-1, 13 KOs) who won the WBO World super featherweight title by beating Roman Martinez via unanimous decision in September 2010 and the WBO World lightweight title by beating Paulus Moses via unanimous decision in March 2012. Should “Rickster” emerge victorious next month, he’ll be the first Scot to win world titles in three weight divisions. Although never stopped, Burns has lost three of his last six, most recently to Omar Figueroa Jr., who won by unanimous decision last May. Seventh-ranked by the WBA, Burns last fought this past November, knocking out Josh King in the 11th, thus scoring the vacant WBO International lightweight title.
Di Rocco, who’ll turn 34 on May 4, is a 12-year ring vet (40-1-1, 18 KOs) who won the vacant EBU (European) super lightweight title in June 2013 by beating Lenny Daws via unanimous decision. First-ranked by the WBA, “The King” has successfully defended his title four times, most recently last May when he knocked out Alexandre Lepelley in the eighth. The Italian has only suffered one defeat, stopped by Giuseppe Lauri via seventh-round TKO in September 2007, a loss he avenged in April 2012 by stopping Lauri via first-round TKO.
The match will air live on Sky Sports.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
