Burns’ career plunged into doubt following surgery on broken jaw
PROMOTER Eddie Hearn fears WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns’ may never fight again, after the Scot underwent surgery on a broken jaw yesterday morning following his controversial draw against Raymundo Beltran in Glasgow.
Despite Beltran looking to have edged the bout, flooring the Scot in the eighth round, the three judges were split in their assessment of the title fight.
Talk of a rematch inevitably followed from the Mexican fighter’s camp, however, after it came to light that Burns completed the final 10 rounds with a broken jaw Hearn felt that planning the 30-year-old’s future opponents was premature.
“Everyone’s talking about his next move. I can’t even guarantee he’ll box again at the moment,” said the Matchroom Sport promoter.
“It was a horrific injury to suffer. The doctor was quite astonished when I told him he had boxed for half an hour with a broken jaw.
“When I spoke to Beltran he said he could hear him almost crying in clinches where the heads were going in on the jaw.
“You look at Ricky Burns and he looks more like a choirboy than a fighter, but he’s one brave kid and our immediate concern is to make sure that he’s okay.”