Burns Takes Verdict on Points?.But?..

Ricky Burns returned to the ring, in Leeds, last night, hoping to resurrect a career that has faded badly in recent months.

The former two-time world champion, after his recent struggles, had decided to move up a weight explain beforehand that he?d struggled to shed the pounds during those recent turbulent times.

Matched against a late substitute opponent in Alexandre Lepelley, Burns got the win he was after taking the decision by 79-71 points and even had his man on the canvas early on.

Unfortunately though, and it hurts me to say this, Burns looked a shadow of the fighter who stormed to the world title. That old snap in his punches has gone and it looked as if Ricky, sadly, was going through the motions.

After 42 fights, 37 of which he has won, the Burns we saw last night doesn?t look capable of holding his own at world level. I?d love Ricky to prove me wrong but age looks to have caught up with the 31 year-old and if he perseveres with the sport he so obviously loves, the best Burns can hope for is, in my opinion, British and possibly European fights.