Ricky Burns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ricky Burns |
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Burns in 2013
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| Nickname(s) | The Rickster |
| Rated at |
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| Height | 5 ft 9 in |
| Reach | 70 in |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Born | 13 April 1983 Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 54 |
| Wins | 45 |
| Wins by KO | 17 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Draws | 1 |
Ricky Burns (born 13 April 1983) is a Scottish professional boxer. He has won several important boxing titles. He held the WBO super-featherweight title from 2010 to 2011. Then, he won the WBO lightweight title, holding it from 2012 to 2014. Later, he became the WBA light-welterweight champion from 2016 to 2017. Ricky also won the Commonwealth super-featherweight title earlier in his career. He has challenged for other big titles too, like the British and European super-featherweight championships.
Contents
Ricky's Boxing Journey
Starting Out as a Super-Featherweight
Early Fights
Ricky Burns began his professional boxing career in October 2001. His first fight was a four-round win in Glasgow, Scotland. After winning seven more fights, he faced another unbeaten boxer, Colin Bain, in December 2004. Ricky won that fight, giving Bain his first loss. This win led Ricky to a bigger challenge against British lightweight champion Graham Earl. Ricky surprised many by winning this fight on points over eight rounds.
Challenging for Titles
In February 2006, Ricky got a chance to fight for the British, Commonwealth, and European titles. He faced the champion, Alex Arthur, in Edinburgh. Ricky lost on points, but he impressed Arthur, who said Ricky had a "great future." Ricky wasn't sad about the loss, seeing it as good experience.
About a year later, in February 2007, Ricky fought for the British title again. He met champion Carl Johanneson in Leeds. Ricky lost this 12-round fight, being knocked down three times by the experienced champion.
Getting Back on Track
After his loss to Johanneson, Ricky decided to change his training. He had worked with his old coach for 14 years, but he felt he needed a new challenge. He moved to a new gym in Glasgow, where he trained with other top boxers.
After this change, Ricky won eight fights in a row. He even won a smaller title, the British International Masters belt. He also helped his former opponent, Alex Arthur, prepare for a big fight by sparring with him.
Becoming Commonwealth Champion
In September 2008, Ricky got a chance to fight for the vacant Commonwealth title. He won this title by beating Osumana Akaba from Ghana over 12 rounds. This win put Ricky in a strong position for bigger championships.
Ricky defended his Commonwealth title twice in Glasgow. In November 2008, he beat Yakubu Amidu, stopping him in the seventh round. In March 2009, he stopped former British champion Michael Gomez in the seventh round. In June 2009, he had a tough 12-round win against Kevin O'Hara. During this time, he worked with trainer Billy Nelson, who helped Ricky become his first world champion.
The Big Fight: Burns vs. Martínez
Ricky's success made him the top-ranked boxer by the WBO. His promoter, Frank Warren, worked to set up a fight with the WBO super-featherweight champion, Román Martínez. The fight was delayed many times, which was frustrating for Ricky.
Finally, the fight was confirmed for 4 September 2010, in Glasgow. Ricky was confident he could win. On fight night, Ricky faced the unbeaten world champion, Roman Martinez. Even though Ricky was knocked down in the first round, he fought back strongly. He won the fight by a unanimous decision from all three judges, becoming a world champion! This was a huge moment for Ricky and for Scottish boxing.
Defending His Title
Ricky defended his WBO super-featherweight title for the first time on 4 December 2010, against Andreas Evensen from Norway. Ricky won by a unanimous decision. His second defense was on 12 March 2011, against Joseph Laryea. Ricky won when Laryea stopped fighting in the seventh round due to an injury.
Ricky's next defense was on 16 July 2011, against former WBO champion Nicky Cook. Ricky won very quickly, stopping Cook in just 93 seconds after Cook injured his back. After this win, Ricky decided to give up his super-featherweight title. He wanted to move up to a heavier weight class, lightweight, because it was getting harder for him to control his weight.
Moving Up to Lightweight
New Challenges at Lightweight
For his first fight at lightweight, Ricky fought Australian Michael Katsidis for the WBO interim lightweight title. Ricky knew it would be a tough fight. On 5 November 2011, Ricky won the fight by a unanimous decision, proving many people wrong who thought Katsidis would win easily.
In January 2012, Ricky officially became the WBO lightweight champion. This happened because the previous champion moved to a different weight class. Ricky defended his title against Paulus Moses from Namibia on 10 March 2012, in Glasgow. Ricky won by a clear unanimous decision.
Big Wins and Changes
In September 2012, Ricky defended his WBO lightweight title against fellow British boxer Kevin Mitchell. In front of a huge crowd in Glasgow, Ricky put on a fantastic performance. He knocked Mitchell down twice in the fourth round, and the referee stopped the fight, giving Ricky a TKO win. This win showed that Ricky was one of the best lightweight boxers in the world.
After this, Ricky faced some changes with his promoters and opponents. Some fights were canceled due to opponents pulling out. In March 2013, Ricky joined a new promotion company, Matchroom Sport. His first fight with them was on 11 May 2013, against Jose Gonzalez. Ricky won in the ninth round when Gonzalez stopped fighting due to a wrist injury, even though Gonzalez was ahead on points.
Tough Fights and Title Loss
On 7 September 2013, Ricky fought Ray Beltrán from Mexico. Ricky was knocked down in the eighth round. The fight ended in a controversial split-decision draw, meaning the judges couldn't agree on a clear winner, but many thought Beltran had won. Ricky kept his WBO lightweight title, but it was later confirmed that Beltran had broken Ricky's jaw early in the fight.
After surgery, Ricky wanted a rematch, but the WBO ordered him to fight Terence Crawford. On 1 March 2014, Crawford defeated Ricky by a unanimous decision, taking Ricky's WBO lightweight title.
In June 2014, Ricky fought Dejan Zlatičanin for the WBC International title. Ricky lost this fight by a split decision, which was his second loss in a row.
Moving to Light-Welterweight
After his loss to Zlatičanin, Ricky decided to move up to the light-welterweight division. On 4 October 2014, he won his first fight in this new weight class against Alexandre Lepelley.
Fighting in the US
In May 2015, Ricky had his first fight in the United States against undefeated former champion Omar Figueroa Jr.. Ricky lost this fight by a controversial decision, with many feeling the referee's actions (deducting points from Ricky) affected the outcome.
Ricky then won two fights in a row, one by TKO and one by KO.
Becoming a Three-Weight World Champion
On 28 May 2016, Ricky fought Italian boxer Michele di Rocco for the vacant WBA light-welterweight title. Ricky dominated the fight, knocking his opponent down and stopping him in the eighth round. This win made Ricky a three-weight world champion, which is a huge achievement in boxing!
Ricky defended his WBA title against Kiryl Relikh on 7 October 2016. Ricky won by a unanimous decision after a tough 12-round fight. This win set up a big fight for Ricky.
Unification Fight: Burns vs. Indongo
In April 2017, Ricky faced Julius Indongo, who held the IBF and IBO light-welterweight titles. This was Scotland's first-ever unification fight, where two champions fight to combine their titles. Ricky lost the fight by a clear unanimous decision. After the fight, Ricky praised Indongo and said he would not retire.
Return to Lightweight
Burns vs. Crolla
In October 2017, Ricky fought fellow British boxer Anthony Crolla in Manchester. Both boxers had recently lost fights, so this was a very important match for both of them. Crolla won the 12-round fight by a unanimous decision. Both fighters showed great respect for each other after the fight.
Later Career Fights
On 16 June 2018, Ricky had his 50th professional fight in Newcastle. He won against Ivan Njegac when Njegac stopped fighting after the fourth round. Ricky said he wanted to keep boxing.
In November 2018, Ricky stepped in on short notice to fight Scott Cardle. Ricky dominated the fight and knocked out Cardle in the third round. He said he was looking for more big fights in 2019.
On 26 October 2019, Ricky faced former world champion Lee Selby. Selby won the fight by a majority decision after a tough match.
Ricky Burns continues to be a respected figure in boxing, known for his determination and long career. His most recent fight was a win against Willie Limond in September 2023.
Ricky's Boxing Record
| 54 fights | 45 wins | 8 losses |
| By knockout | 17 | 0 |
| By decision | 28 | 8 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Win | 45-8-1 | Willie Limond | TKO | 8 (12), 3:00 | 1 Sep 2023 | Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 53 | Win | 44–8–1 | Emiliano Dominguez | UD | 10 | 18 Dec 2021 | Rainton Meadows Arena, Newcastle, England | |
| 52 | Loss | 43–8–1 | Lee Selby | MD | 12 | 26 Oct 2019 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 51 | Win | 43–7–1 | Scott Cardle | TKO | 3 (10), 2:06 | 10 Nov 2018 | Manchester Arena, Manchester, England | |
| 50 | Win | 42–7–1 | Ivan Njegac | RTD | 4 (6), 3:00 | 16 Jun 2018 | Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, England | |
| 49 | Loss | 41–7–1 | Anthony Crolla | UD | 12 | 7 Oct 2017 | Manchester Arena, Manchester, England | |
| 48 | Loss | 41–6–1 | Julius Indongo | UD | 12 | 15 Apr 2017 | The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland | Lost WBA light-welterweight title; For IBF and IBO light-welterweight titles |
| 47 | Win | 41–5–1 | Kiryl Relikh | UD | 12 | 7 Oct 2016 | The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained WBA light-welterweight title |
| 46 | Win | 40–5–1 | Michele di Rocco | TKO | 8 (12), 1:57 | 28 May 2016 | The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland | Won vacant WBA light-welterweight title |
| 45 | Win | 39–5–1 | Josh King | KO | 11 (12), 0:54 | 7 Nov 2015 | Echo Arena, Liverpool, England | Won vacant WBO International lightweight title |
| 44 | Win | 38–5–1 | Prince Ofotsu | TKO | 5 (8), 1:43 | 1 Aug 2015 | Craven Park, Hull, England | |
| 43 | Loss | 37–5–1 | Omar Figueroa Jr. | UD | 12 | 9 May 2015 | State Farm Arena, Hidalgo, Texas, US | |
| 42 | Win | 37–4–1 | Alexandre Lepelley | PTS | 8 | 4 Oct 2014 | First Direct Arena, Leeds, England | |
| 41 | Loss | 36–4–1 | Dejan Zlatičanin | SD | 12 | 27 Jun 2014 | Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | For vacant WBC International lightweight title |
| 40 | Loss | 36–3–1 | Terence Crawford | UD | 12 | 1 Mar 2014 | Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, Scotland | Lost WBO lightweight title |
| 39 | Draw | 36–2–1 | Ray Beltrán | SD | 12 | 7 Sep 2013 | Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained WBO lightweight title |
| 38 | Win | 36–2 | Jose Gonzalez | RTD | 9 (12), 3:00 | 11 May 2013 | Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained WBO lightweight title |
| 37 | Win | 35–2 | Kevin Mitchell | TKO | 4 (12), 2:59 | 22 Sep 2012 | Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained WBO lightweight title |
| 36 | Win | 34–2 | Paulus Moses | UD | 12 | 10 Mar 2012 | Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained WBO lightweight title |
| 35 | Win | 33–2 | Michael Katsidis | UD | 12 | 5 Nov 2011 | Wembley Arena, London, England | Won WBO interim lightweight title |
| 34 | Win | 32–2 | Nicky Cook | TKO | 1 (12), 1:33 | 16 Jul 2011 | Echo Arena, Liverpool, England | Retained WBO super-featherweight title |
| 33 | Win | 31–2 | Joseph Laryea | RTD | 7 (12), 3:00 | 12 Mar 2011 | Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained WBO super-featherweight title |
| 32 | Win | 30–2 | Andreas Evensen | UD | 12 | 4 Dec 2010 | Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained WBO super-featherweight title |
| 31 | Win | 29–2 | Román Martínez | UD | 12 | 4 Sep 2010 | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland | Won WBO super-featherweight title |
| 30 | Win | 28–2 | Youssef Al Hamidi | PTS | 8 | 15 May 2010 | Boleyn Ground, London, England | |
| 29 | Win | 27–2 | Kevin O'Hara | UD | 12 | 19 Jun 2009 | Bellahouston Sport Centre, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained Commonwealth super-featherweight title |
| 28 | Win | 26–2 | Michael Gomez | TKO | 7 (12), 0:47 | 27 Mar 2009 | Bellahouston Sport Centre, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained Commonwealth super-featherweight title |
| 27 | Win | 25–2 | Yakubu Amidu | TKO | 7 (12), 2:57 | 14 Nov 2008 | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland | Retained Commonwealth super-featherweight title |
| 26 | Win | 24–2 | Osumanu Akaba | UD | 12 | 26 Sep 2008 | York Hall, London, England | Won vacant Commonwealth super-featherweight title |
| 25 | Win | 23–2 | Gheorghe Ghiompirica | PTS | 10 | 17 May 2008 | Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 24 | Win | 22–2 | Billy Smith | PTS | 4 | 22 Mar 2008 | International Arena, Cardiff, Wales | |
| 23 | Win | 21–2 | Silence Saheed | TKO | 3 (6), 2:45 | 22 Feb 2008 | Dalziel Park Hotel, Motherwell, Scotland | |
| 22 | Win | 20–2 | Billy Smith | PTS | 6 | 15 Dec 2007 | Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland | |
| 21 | Win | 19–2 | Youssef Al Hamidi | PTS | 6 | 3 Nov 2007 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | |
| 20 | Win | 18–2 | Ben Odamattey | PTS | 8 | 26 Oct 2007 | SeeWoo Restaurant, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 19 | Win | 17–2 | Frederic Bonifai | TKO | 5 (8), 2:45 | 13 Oct 2007 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 18 | Win | 16–2 | Ernie Smith | PTS | 6 | 15 Sep 2007 | Linwood Leisure Centre, Paisley, Scotland | |
| 17 | Loss | 15–2 | Carl Johanneson | UD | 12 | 9 Feb 2007 | Town Hall, Leeds, England | For British super-featherweight title |
| 16 | Win | 15–1 | Wladimir Borov | PTS | 8 | 4 Nov 2006 | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 15 | Win | 14–1 | Adolphe Avadja | TKO | 5 (8), 2:14 | 1 Apr 2006 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 14 | Loss | 13–1 | Alex Arthur | UD | 12 | 18 Feb 2006 | Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland | For European, British, and Commonwealth super-featherweight titles |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Alan Temple | PTS | 4 | 23 Jul 2005 | Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Haider Ali | PTS | 8 | 17 Jun 2005 | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Buster Dennis | PTS | 6 | 8 Apr 2005 | Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Graham Earl | PTS | 8 | 25 Feb 2005 | Wembley Conference Centre, London, England | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Colin Bain | PTS | 6 | 12 Dec 2004 | Marriott Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Jeff Thomas | PTS | 4 | 29 Oct 2004 | Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Daniel Thorpe | PTS | 6 | 8 Oct 2004 | Marriott Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Nono Junior | PTS | 8 | 8 Dec 2002 | Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Neil Murray | TKO | 2 (4), 0:36 | 19 Oct 2002 | Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Ernie Smith | PTS | 6 | 6 Sep 2002 | Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Gary Harrison | TKO | 1 (4), 1:30 | 8 Jun 2002 | Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Peter Allen | PTS | 6 | 15 Mar 2002 | Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Woody Greenaway | PTS | 4 | 20 Oct 2001 | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland |
Boxing Titles Ricky Has Held
Major World Titles
- WBO Super-Featherweight Champion (130 pounds)
- WBO Lightweight Champion (135 pounds)
- WBA Light-Welterweight Champion (140 pounds)
Interim World Titles
- WBO Interim lightweight Champion (135 pounds)
Regional and International Titles
- Commonwealth Super-Featherweight Champion (130 pounds)
- WBO International Lightweight Champion (135 pounds)
See also
- List of boxing triple champions
