RICKY Burns kept his dream of a lightweight unification world title fight alive last night, despite an unconvincing stoppage win over Puerto Rican Jose Gonzalez at Glasgow's Emirates Arena.
The challenger quit on his stool with a broken left wrist and was ahead on all three judges' cards after nine pulsating rounds of boxing, a fact that illustreates how close Burns came to surrendering his WBO belt.
After an eight-month absence from the ring, the Scot's work lacked accuracy and Gonzalez landed the more effective point-scoring jabs early on.
But after the Scot had endured a torrid seventh round, Burns at last found his rhythm and started to dominate his robust challenger.
With Gonzales, unbeaten in his previous bouts, failing to throw any meaningful punches in the ninth round plucky Burns looked to be clawing back the points deficit.
And when Gonzalez refused to put his mouthpiece in before the start of the 10th round, despite his corner's pleas, Burns had completed a third defence of his 135lbs title. That will now allow his new promoter Eddie Hearn to try to tempt IBF champion Miguel Vazqyuez to Scotland's shores in September with Glasgow again the venue and a possible £2 million bumper payout at stake.
In the chief supporting bout John Simpson recorded a hard-fought 116-112, 117-112, 116-113 unanimous points victory over Mongolian ring veteran Choi Tseveenpurev to claim the vacant WBO Inter-Continental super-featherweight title.
Now hopes are high that the Greenock fighter's victory could move him to within one fight of a challenge for a world title tilt.
Simpson drew the 41-year-old's fire during the first half of the contest which he opted to fight on the counter. Although Choi's powerful body shots caused some consternation in the Simpson camp, by round six the tide had turned in the favour of the Scottish boxer.
The former British champion then started to use his superior skills to take the centre of the ring and pepper Choi with some stinging left jabs.
By the final bell the gallant Choi was a tired man, but refused to go quietly and Simpson had to dig deep to record a victory that will prolong a career which has had too many setbacks.
Unbeaten Edinburgh cruiserweight Stevie Simmons took another stride towards his dream of a British title challenge when he forced game Irishman Michael Sweeney to retire after three rounds as he claimed the vacant Celtic 200lbs title.
The well-schooled Simmons dominated from start to finish with his left jab and dropped his opponent with a sweet short left at the end of the first round.Although Sweeney got to his feet and took the standing count, it was an indication of what was to be a short but painful night.
A short right hook to the head towards the end of the third round ultimately put paid to the man from County Mayo, who had by this time also suffered a cut to his left eye from one of Simmons' powerful left jabs.
So it was no surprise that Sweeney refused to come out for the fourth round as Simmons claimed a title that has provided him with a useful stepping stone towards the Lonsdale belt.
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