Burns: I'm ready for Cook

Ricky Burns has told Nicky Cook to bring his 'A' game when he challenges the Scot for the WBO super-featherweight title on July 16.

Champion vows to give Cook his hardest fight yest on July 16

Ricky Burns has told Nicky Cook to bring his 'A' game when he challenges the Scot for the WBO super-featherweight title on July 16. Burns will make his third defence of the belt at Liverpool's Echo Arena against Cook, who is returning to the big-time after a two-year absence. Cook has added spice to clash by saying he is not losing any sleep over the prospect of challenging Burns, whom he likens to champion Alex Arthur, who he beat in 2008. Burns lost to Arthur earlier in his career but he believes Cook will need to step up on anything he has achieved before to relieve the Scotsman of the belt. "I'm looking forward to getting Cook in Liverpool next month and giving him the hardest night of his life," he said. "Cook has got a lot of talk saying that Harrison bottled it and that he beat Arthur, but he's not faced Ricky Burns in his career and he'll know about it on July 16. "Every world title defence is special but fighting an Englishman in England gives me that extra bit between my teeth to put on a top performance and stop Cook. "I'm so up for this fight that my trainer Billy Nelson has had to slow me down. Nicky better bring his A game or else he will be in trouble."