Ricky Burns deserves more praise, says Kevin Mitchell
Tuesday 24 May 2016 16:55, UK
Ricky Burns will bid to make boxing history on Saturday night and former opponent Kevin Mitchell believes the Scot should be given more credit.
Burns (39-5-1-KO13) stopped Mitchell inside four rounds in 2012 and the pair subsequently became sparring partners and good friends.
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With 'Rickster' now bidding to become Scotland's first three-weight world champion against Michele Di Rocco on Saturday and Mitchell retired, the Londoner has championed the cause and pinpoints his friend's relentless work ethic as the key to his success.
Mitchell told Sky Sports: "I saw him last week. He looks sharp and hungry and that's how he always is. People forget he went the distance with Terence Crawford, who knocked out Yuriorkis Gamboa. That's the class he's been in with and that's how good he really is.
"I've been working with Ricky Burns for two and a half years now and his work ethic is insane. He trains so hard, you wouldn't believe it.
He's a two-weight world champion and he's going for his third weight title now. He should be a mega name.
"He's self-driven. If you'd let me do my own thing as a fighter then I'd have got bored and wouldn't have run at a fast pace. Ricky works at a hard pace and that's just what he's like. He works all by himself.
"I don't think Ricky's had the praise he should have had. He's a two-weight world champion and he's going for his third weight title now. He should be a mega name and he's been in with some very good fighters."
Mitchell retired earlier this year after a stoppage defeat to heavy-handed Venezuelan Ismael Barroso, who went on to challenge WBA world lightweight champion Anthony Crolla only to be halted in the seventh having punched himself out.
Asked if watching Crolla's victory had left him regretful over his own tactics against Barroso, Mitchell said: "I think that when I beat Breidis Prescott, I learned from Amir Khan's mistakes and when Anthony Crolla beat Ismael Barroso, he learned from mine.
"If I'd have known he could do damage early on and struggle after that then I'd have kept away from him for four or five rounds. It was a great performance from Anthony."
Watch Burns v Michele Di Rocco this Saturday from 8pm, Sky Sports 1 as part of a huge Bank Holiday boxing weekend that also includes Tony Bellew v Ilunga Makabu on Sunday from 6.30pm, Sky Sports 1.
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