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.
Burns, who’ll turn 33 on April 13, 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 interim WBO World lightweight title by beating Michael Katsidis via unanimous decision in November 2011. He was elevated to full championship status two months later, when Juan Manuel Marquez vacated the title to move up to welterweight. In his only draw, against Raymundo Beltran in September 2013, he suffered a broken jaw in the second. Although never stopped, three of Burns’ five losses have come in his last six fights. Fourteenth-ranked by the WBA, “Rickster,” a native of Scotland, last fought this past November, knocking out Josh King in the 11th.
Di Rocco, who’ll turn 34 on May 4, is a 12-year ring vet (40-1-1, 18 KOs) whose only loss came in September 2007, stopped by Giuseppe Lauri via seventh-round TKO, a defeat he avenged in April 2012 by stopping Lauri via first-round TKO. His draw came against Giorgio Marinelli in June 2006. “The King” most recently fought last May, knocking out Alexandre Lepelley in the eighth. Second-ranked by the WBA, Di Rocco fights out of his native Italy. The upcoming bout marks his first shot at a world title.
“I’m very happy for Ricky to get a chance of winning a third world title,” says Burns manager Alex Morrison. “It’s a great chance for Ricky to resurrect his career and I’m happy he’s fighting an Italian because there is a big Italian community in Glasgow.”
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.
