Ricky Burns has pulled out of his bout with Gary Sykes for the vacant super featherweight British title in favour of a world title shot against WBO champion Roman Martinez.

The Commonwealth champion was due to challenge for the vacant crown in Huddersfield next Friday, but the Coatbridge boxer has bowed out with bigger things in the offing.

Alex Morrison, Burns’ manager, revealed that promoter Frank Warren has given his assurance that Martinez will travel to Glasgow and put his title on the line against the 26-year-old.

“I have a cast-iron guarantee from promoter Frank Warren that Martinez has agreed to come to Glasgow to defend his WBO title, so there is a lot at stake,” said Morrison, who is taking no chances in having his fighter compete for the British crown.

“Ricky has a lot on his mind at the moment as he contemplates his fight with Roman Martinez and he wouldn’t be up for this one mentally.”

Burns, 27-2 (7 KOs), won the Commonwealth strap in September 2008 with a points victory over Ghanaian Osumanu Akaba. His first defence was against another Ghanaian Yakubu Amidu before taking on Manchester hard-man Michael Gomez.

Gomez taunted and intimidated the Lanarkshire fighter at every opportunity in the build up to their clash in Glasgow. However, on the night, Burns wouldn’t allow himself to be drawn into a brawl in the ring and patiently out-boxed the aging Gomez before stopping him in the seventh.

In his last outing Burns had his hands full with Northern Irishman Kevin O’Hara. O’Hara’s aggressive, wild swings threatened to inflict Burns’ first knockout loss, but the champion kept his cool and stuck to his game plan to secure a close, if unanimous, decision.