uncertainty surrounding Ricky Burns' latest World Boxing Organization lightweight title defence has been ended with confirmation that the 30-year-old from Coatbridge will face the undefeated American Terence Crawford.
What is less clear is exactly when Burns will return to the ring following his controversial draw with the Mexican Raymundo Beltran at the SEEC in September.
Eddie Hearn, Burns' promoter, had pencilled in February 8 at the 12,000 capacity SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow, but it has emerged that the bout may have to be put back as much as three weeks after Hearn revealed yesterday that Burns will have a further scan on his shattered right jaw later this week.
"February 8 is one of the options and I would love to be the first to promote boxing at the Hydro," said Hearn. "But that is only eight weeks away on Saturday and it will depend on when the doctors give Ricky the all-clear to begin sparring. The fight has to take place by March 7 and, if Ricky needs more time we may put it back until February 15 or 22, or even March 1.
"Ricky is due to begin sparring next week but he will not do so until the doctors give him the go ahead once he has undergone further tests on his jaw and another scan. He has been training for the past month to build his fitness and we have been assured that once he starts sparring he will be absolutely fine. It is just a question of when."
Purse bids had been scheduled to open yesterday, but Hearn avoided the need to haggle by agreeing a deal with the Top Rank official Bob Arum at the weekend. Hearn originally tried to persuade the WBO to sanction a voluntary rematch with Beltran, who was, in many people's eyes, robbed. However, Top Rank, promoters of both Crawford and Beltran, insisted on a mandatory defence against the 26-year-old from Nebraska.
No precise details of the agreement are available but, with Burns entitled to a 75-25 split of the purse, Hearn has almost certainly had to sweeten the deal to persuade Crawford to come to Scotland and avoid the risk of losing out in a bidding war.
"Beltran was originally our main focus and he also wanted a rematch, but our hands were tied and we have to fight Crawford or lose the title," said Hearn. "We got the deal done at the weekend and I'm delighted that we've managed to bring the fight to Scotland, as is Ricky.
"It is a huge fight because Crawford is big news in America where he is highly rated, and it is perhaps the toughest test Ricky has faced so far. While Crawford is tough, he is also unproven to an extent, so let's see how he gets on trying to take Ricky's title in his backyard."
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