Ricky Burns keeps title after disputed draw against Raymundo Beltrán

• WBO lightweight champion never looked like winning bout
• Mexican says 'politics' and 'business' denied him win

Press Association
theguardian.com

Ricky Burns retained his WBO lightweight title after a controversial draw against Raymundo Beltrán at the SECC in Glasgow.

The 30-year-old Coatbridge fighter, making his fourth defence of his belt, was floored in the eighth round of a contest he never really looked like he was winning.

But one judge gave Burns the verdict by 115-112, another gave it to Beltrán by 115-113 and there was an audible gasp inside the arena when it was announced the third judge had scored it 114 each, with even the champion, who apparently dislocated his jaw in the second round, looking apologetic.

The 32-year-old Mexican, a former sparring partner of the boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, appeared to control most of the fight with tireless aggression and will surely wonder what he had to do to win.

Beltrán was emotional but articulate afterwards. Asked if he felt he had won the fight, Beltrán told Sky Sports 2: "Yes I do, absolutely."

On why he was not given the nod, the Mexican said: "Politics, always the same thing in boxing. There is money involved, it is business, every time they have a chance to protect their investment they do it. They play with the business, they have the power.

"If I got beat I got beat, I've been getting robbed every time. It is just so frustrating, there is so much sacrifice. We put ourselves on the line. But it is business."

The 23-year-old said he would consider a rematch but called for it to take place in the United States, adding: "I fight anybody but I want to fight in a fair place, I want to fight in America."

Turning to the fight, Beltrán admitted he knew Burns was injured in some way but he constantly kept returning to his conviction he had won the fight. "He was trying to be defensive," he added. "He is very brave. But I think I did everything I had to do to win the fight. It was horrible, he was holding too much. Everything was against me, it always is. In the people's eyes I am world champion."

Burns revealed he had suffered a dislocated jaw early in the fight and he told Sky Sports 2: "What a fight that was – I take my hat off to Raymundo. I don't know how I got through that, I can hardly string two words together out here. I knew it was close: I was trying to stick to my jab. He was coming in swinging.

"I was worried about getting caught on the jaw again, when I did the pain was incredible. I'll get this jaw sorted and maybe me and Raymundo can do it again. I would have liked to have gone out there and put on a better performance.

"From the end of the fourth I was more concentrated on not getting my jaw hit. I take my hat off to him it was a good shot [in the eighth] but when I got up I was fine."

Burns needed to dig deep in the latter stages, showing his undoubted determination and courage but there was still huge surprise when the draw was called.

Source:  www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/sep/08/ricky-burns-raymundo-beltran-wbo-lightweight

Burns v Beltran - round-by-round coverage of the WBO lightweight title fight

By Jeff Powell  -  dailymail.co.uk

Ricky Burns can lay claim to being Scotland's greatest ever boxer if he defeats Mexican Raymundo Beltran over 12 rounds at Glasgow’s SECC, says promoter Eddie Hearn.

But Burns know he will need to scrap during every second of every round if he’s to emerge victorious against the challenger for his crown.

Sportsmail will bring you round-by-round coverage of the WBO lightweight title fight from Glasgow’s SECC.

Scroll down for live updates and scorecard

Taking aim: A jab from Burns catches Beltran on the nose

Ricky Burns, true to his Braveheart monikor, kept his title world title defence and volunteered a rematch to his outrageously robbed challenger Raymundo Beltran.

That's as commendable as the courage with which Burns showed in battling on to the agonising end after dislocating his jaw as early as the second round.

Burns said: 'I'm disappointed and I'm willign to do this with him again.'

That will be scant consolation to the 32-year-old who deserved to come out of the shadows of being Manny Pacquia's sparring partner only to be disgracefully deprived of a first world title of his own.

Scandalously, the decisive 114-114 score announced after two foreign judges had split the decision, was awarded by English official Richie Davis.

controversy: Burns retains his title after drawing with Beltran

Even Burns, though in great pain, went quiet and subdued as the result was announced.

Frankly this was an embarrassment for British boxing.

Whether Beltran will want to come back to Glasgow a second time has to be doubtful. He can hardly be confident of fair treatment.

British fighters often complain about being robbed abroad but rarely, if ever, does that happen when the home fighter has been outpointed as comprehensively as this.

On my card, even though I gave Burns the benefit of a doubtful shared round in the 11th, Beltran was a four point winner 116-112.

Stunned: Burns was put on the canvas for only the second time

The judges allowed Burns to retain his tile by contriving to give him the draw. It was a terrible hometown decision and a disgraceful robery of the Mexican's right to become champion. Even the most The decisive score of 114-114, after two foreign judges had split their decision, came from English official Richie Davis. Even Burns looked shocked by the result as were the majority of his fans as Beltran stalked away immediately to his dressing room. The scale of the injustice can be measured from my scorecard of 116-112 in favour of Beltran.

Round 12:  Whatever the judges mare of it it was clear that Burns corner were making of the scoring. they sent their man out for a last jaw gripping attempt at a KO and d at one point it seemed he might have hurt Beltran for the first time. Burns grimaced at the final bell as he indicated that his jaw might be broken but also in recognition that his title might have gone.

Round 11: Although clearly in pain and suffering continually to the wounded right side of his head from left hooks, Burns kept slugging away. Twice it seemed miraculous that he managed to stay on his feet and the round ended with the pair locked in a heaving embrace on the ropes.

Round 10: Word came from the Scottish corner that Burns had damaged his jaw and the way he charged suggested a big effort from him to try and pull this out of the fire. It was heroic stuff but at times he was reeling into clinches and as the round went on he was doing his best to protect his chin from further damage.

Round 9: Beltram remained in control and the anxious audience were reduced to excessive reaction to the occasional success from Burns which interrupted the pounding he was taking on the ropes.

Round 8: Burns was caught with a shuddering left hook at the start of the eighth and was off his feet for only the second time in his career. He rose at the count of eight, trying his damnest to retaliate. The fight had been captioned 'Braveheart' and the Scot lived up that title as he interspersed his holding and covering up with some wild swings to try to deter Beltran as the crowd urged him to recover.

Round 7: Once again Burns was having to gut his way through a tricky fight and he regained the ascendency, courtesy of his bravery, as he backed up Beltran in the seventh with some stinging right hooks.

Round 6: It was slower stuff as they approached the halfway mark and although Beltran continued to make the running Burns began to pick him off with some counters and took the sixth with two heavy hits just before the bell.

Round 5: Burns had ridden the storm with his usual courage but midway through the fifth he was again covering up on the ropes as he came under two-fisted pressure. The Scottish jab brought cheers from the crowd but were not enough to keep off the US-based Mexican. Burns looked to be tiring as he slipped behind on my card for first time.

Round 4: The response from Burns was to increase his ratio of body shots but Beltran seemed unconcerned by this, not feeling any troublesome power by the champion. Then when the challenger unleashed some heavy left hooks he had Burns staggering back into the ropes.

Round 3: In the third, the Burns charge was met by a Mexican counter offensive and the Scot was warned to keep his punches up after landing a low left. Burns was more effective when he went back to boxing but was being outpunched at the end as Beltran enjoyed his first success.

Round 2: Burns was growing in confidence, beginning the second on the attack, and he might have even be thinking an early night as he landed some heavy rights. Beltran rallied with a late flurry of his own to make it closer.

Round 1: The faithful roared as Burns began brightly. Beltran did not appear to be as smooth an operator as Gonzalez and the Scot took the first round with some stinging rights to the head and brisk body punches.

9.50pm: Ricky Burns came to the fifth defence of his lightweight title buoyed by the arrival of his first-born son but burdened by the brash assessment that he would become Scotland's greatest ever boxer if he defeated Manny Pacquia's long-term sparring partner. While Eddie Hearns' over enthusiastic outburst deserves to make Ken Buchanan among several consider suing, Burns was obliged to restore momentum to his career by dealing impressively with Raymundo Beltran - Mexico's Californina-based challenger.

Although Beltran, a scrapper with a punch, is better know as the Pacman's regular spa mate rather than for his own exploits in the ring, he has vowed to make a firm fist of his first world title chance at the age of 32.

His all action style was expected to suit Burns better than the slippery and slick Jose Gonzalez, who outclassed the brave Scot in his preceding fight before quitting at the start of the ninth.

The Glasgow crowd were out in vocal support of their very local hero but there was a frisson of anxiety taking the edge of rapture before Burns entered the ring.

Burns was also aware of the slightly growing criticism within  the game about him fighting almost exclusively at home rather than seeking proper fights and wider recognition abroad. At 30 despite his convincing record, he found himself with something to prove.

8.30pm: Welcome to Sportsmail's coverage of the WBO lightweight title fight from Glasgow’s SECC.

Source:  www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-2415063/LIVE-Ricky-Burns-v-Raymundo-Beltran--round-round-coverage-WBO-lightweight-title-fight.html

Burns has lucky escape in draw with Beltran

ESPN staff

Ricky Burns held on to his WBO lightweight title by the slimmest of margins after coming through 12 rounds to draw with challenger Raymundo Beltran in Glasgow.

In a second successive fortunate title defence, Burns suffered a suspected dislocated jaw early in the second round before being knocked down by Beltran in the eighth.

Burns showed no signs of the lacklustre start he gave when fortuitously beating Jose Gonzalez in May, connecting with several sprightly punches early in the first round - one of which caused early swelling to Beltran's left eye.

More firepower from the Scot came in early in the second as Burns caught Beltran on the ropes with a pair of crushing body blows.

However, Burns appeared to succumb to his early adrenaline and Beltran worked himself back into the bout with a solid left hook to the side of the Scot's head. Burns had no option but to take cover against the ropes, suffering late punishment before the second bell.

The 30-year-old was forced to cover up again early in the third as Beltran connected with another hook to the chin. However, Burns had the crowd on their feet again at the end of the round when landing an impressive shot and leaving his opponent swinging at thin air.

Beltran had Burns wobbling on his feet with two sharp left hooks before firmly increasing the pressure on the champion during the fourth; the home crowd responded and raised the noise in an attempt to encourage the home favourite.

With coach Billy Nelson's harsh words ringing in his ears, Burns eagerly got up for the fifth but his open guard allowed Beltran another clean shot with the left glove.

Burns needed a response and it duly came in the sixth round; the Scot looked livelier on his toes and utilised his jab before landing two hard punches, much to the crowd's pleasure.

Further momentum followed in the seventh as Burns caught Beltran with three heavy shots, the last being a tough right hand to the face. The Mexican looked fresh out of fight and ideas.

But history showed signs of repeating itself as Burns once again began backing up. This time, Beltran made it count and sent the champion tumbling to the canvas with a crunching left hook at the start of the eighth.

Burns got up at the eight count but Beltran followed with a multitude of shots which had the champion holding on for cover, before eventually averting the crisis.

The pair again traded left hooks in the ninth round, but Burns struggled to land any notable shots before complaining of pain to his jaw during the break.

A scrappy round ten followed, with Beltran left up in arms when Burns landed a shot to the back of his head. The challenger mustered revenge in round 11, though, catching Burns on his injured jaw with two more of his favoured left hooks. A late flourish from the Scot kept him in it.

The final round saw more wayward shots from Burns in a brave attempt to keep hold of his title, but the damage had seemingly been done with the earlier knockdown.

However, there was a final twist to the evening when, with both fighters having won one scorecard each, the third was announced as a dead heat; leaving Burns happy enough to smile in pain with the belt on his shoulder, dislocated jaw and all.

Earlier on the card, Scott Cardle added the Northern Area belt to his collection after defeating fellow lightweight Gary Fox.

Jon Slowey continued his undefeated record with a points win over Angel Lorente to claim the vacant WBC International silver featherweight title. The Scot is now unbeaten in 15 fights.

Callum Smith saw off the challenge of Kirill Psonko, knocking the journeyman to the canvas twice inside the opening round before Psonko shook his head towards the referee.