Abril vs Burns possible
Cuba's Richard Abril (18-3-0), the WBA lightweight champion and Scottish boxer Ricky Burns (36-2), the WBO titleholder could face eachother in a unification fight later this year.
According to Abril's promoter MR. Carlos Rodriguez both fighters have expressed their desire for the fight.
Rodriguez said " We are ready to match Abril against Burns. We have received some messages from Burns' manager and hopefully we reach an agreement that satisfies both sides. Lets make this fight to determine which of the two is the best. It was difficult to get opponents for Richard since the fight with Brandon Rios. Abril worked hard to defeat Sharif Bogere to capture a world title and he was stripped of a clear victory over Rios, and that says alot about his value as a boxer - but it also speaks alot about the opponents who do not want to get in the ring against Abril. If Burns and his team want to unify and want recognition in America, Abril is willing to fight at any time. You have to make these types of fights, because we believe boxing fans are expecting to see this kind of war where two champions are eager to impose their styles and maintain supremacy."
In his last fight in March, Abril defeated Sharif Bogere by a unanimous decision to win the WBA title.
"Since the win over Bogere I said that a fight with Ricky Burns is in our plans. Now, there is a possibility and we are ready to fight him and establish ourselves as one of the strongest champions of the lightweight class," Abril said.
This would be a great fight. Abril's three defeats came on split decision against at the time undefeated fighters. All three fights where highly debatable results. Most Cubans have a similar style of fighting, all very classy fighters with fast hands and Abril is no different.
Burns is probably the biggest fighter in the lightweight division, in size he rehydrates back up to light middleweight. Burns has started to show more power in his last couple of fights, but the one thing he has really shown is heart and guts. In his last outing against Jose Gonzalez, Burns was under the cosh early on but managed to turn the tide against probably the divisions biggest puncher around and actually started backing Gonzalez up in which was a tremendous fight.