EDDIE HEARN, the London promoter who guides Ricky Burns' career, has given an assurance that he will not disappear from the Scottish scene as a result of the Coatbridge fighter's World Boxing Organization lightweight title defeat to the American Terence Crawford on Saturday night.
Burns' 10th world title contest attracted a 10,000 sell-out crowd at the SECC in Glasgow and Hearn said yesterday: "Somebody came up to me after the fight and suggested that Scottish boxing is now dead, but no way is that the case.
"You wouldn't get an atmosphere like the one at the SECC anywhere else in the world, so we are still in our infancy here in terms of what we are trying to do.
"I was amazed at the reception the crowd gave Anthony Joshua. It's unbelievable the way the fans have taken to him and I'll definitely be bringing him back to Glasgow.
"Plus we've still got cruiserweight Stevie Simmons and Wadi Camacho to look forward to. After the bust-up between them in January, there will be huge interest in what has become a real grudge fight.
"Then there's John Simpson, who can come back and be successful at his proper weight; super-middleweight David Brophy, who is ready to be quoted for a title of some description; and Michael Roberts, who also has chances, so there's plenty going on in Scotland.
"Ricky will be the big fight when we return in late June or early July, although I am not sure yet what form his contest will take.
"Ricky has had three really tough fights in succession and was also coming back from a broken jaw, which was never going to be easy, but he has no intention of slowing down.
"He has some exciting options as he starts on the comeback trail, internationally and domestically. Fights with Richar Abril, the WBA champion, and Miguel Vazquez, who holds the IBF title, can be made, but they would be really difficult after the run he's had and the injury.
"I'm not sure we would want to bring him straight back at that level. I would rather he looked at a domestic fight first, but it would have to carry the carrot of something else, like a world title eliminator against the winner of Anthony Crolla and John Murray, who will fight soon, for example."
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