Former world champion Ricky Burns says fighting fellow Scot Willie Limond will be “about closure” to his career as he has been “getting grief” from his family about his return to the ring.
The 40-year-old former world champion at three weights takes on former British and Commonwealth champion Limond, four years his senior, in Glasgow on 1 September.
“It has been six years since I last boxed in Glasgow and that is why I have always said I would love to have one final night,” Burns told BBC Scotland.
“For me, it is just about closure. Fight night in Glasgow is unbelievable.”
Burns and Limond have each only fought once in the last four years and, despite a clamour for it to happen, their paths have never crossed in the ring – until now.
“I can always remember there was talk about us fighting, but nothing ever materialised about it,” Burns said.
Burns last entered the ring in 2021, when he defeated Emiliano Dominguez in a lightweight contest in Houghton-le-Spring to take his career record to 44 wins, eight defeats and one draw.
Limond, meanwhile, beat CJ Wood in a super-middleweight contest in Renfrew in May 2022 to take his total to 42 wins and five losses.
Burns has promised that he will be taking the final bell in the welterweight bout at Braehead Arena.
“Boxing is all I have done since I was 12 – the career I have had has been unbelievable,” he said. “I have said it for years, I will keep fighting for as long as I can, but I am getting grief off my family.
“I turned 40 this year and the first thing I am doing, I’m getting fights announced and speaking about fighting again, but I have promised them this is going to be my last one.”
Burns, who got into boxing after “watching all the Rocky films”, meanwhile has been has been doing some coaching for Boxing Scotland and has also gained his professional coaching licence over the last 18 months.
However, he admits: “My pals, they will all sit up for all the big fights, whereas I don’t bother.
“I have never cared who I was fighting. People come and speak to me and, when I tell them I don’t really watch a lot of boxing, they are like ‘what?’.
“Honestly, I don’t watch boxing at all. Even all the opponents I have boxed over the years, I have never watched any of them.
‘Obviously if it is people I know then I will watch it. I enjoy the training side, but for me, the fight night is the best bit. I actually enjoy going in there and fighting – as long as I am not taking too many punches that is.”
