Can Ricky Burns Make History Against Michele Di Rocco?
This Saturday, May 28, Ricky Burns (39-5-1-KO18) fights Michele Di Rocco for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight crown at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow.
Though Burns has just three wins in his last seven fights, he is the position to make history and become the first Scot be a three-weight world champion.
While the 33-year-old Burns says he will treat this fight just like any other, trainer Tony Sims confirms that the chance to make history has motivated Burns during training camp.
“Getting in the history books is what has spurred Ricky on in this camp,” said Sims (via Sky Sports). “He knows what he is achieving but he plays everything down. He trains diligently and is massively motivated because of what it can create. Not a lot of people can say they created history.”
Standing in Burns’ way will be the 34-year-old Italian Di Rocco, who hasn’t lost a fight in nearly nine years.
Though Di Rocco will be walking into enemy territory to face Burns, it is not the first time he has done so and he is looking forward to the challenge.
“I can’t wait to fight on Saturday in front of this crowd,” said Di Rocco (via Daily Mail).
“It will be fantastic. I have fought in Spain and Finland with all the crowd against me but I always try to have that energy in my favor.”
Regardless of who wins, neither man seems to pose a threat to the other champions of the division including Viktor Postol, Eduard Troyanovsky and Terence Crawford (who already beat Burns).
