Ricky Burns is adamant he won’t let his world title success go to his head as he prepares for the first defence of his WBO super-featherweight title. The champion insists he will keep his foot on the pedal ahead of his December 4 bout against Norwegian-based Colombian Andreas Evensen at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena.

There is no doubt that it is harder to retain a world title than win one as the hunger which burns inside every fighter abruptly dissipates amid a clutch of a jewel incrusted leather strap. However, while Coatbridge boxer Burns admits he has yet to realise the significance of his success, the 27-year-old maintains he is not leaving anything to chance for his second venture into the ring in four months.

“It has still not sunk in. It was the biggest fight of my life and when I watch it back I still can’t come to terms with what I’ve achieved,” he said. “But I’m now really looking forward to December 4 for the first defence.

“There is no chance I’m going to let anything slip at all. I’m going to train and keep training as if I’m a challenger. People always say it is harder to keep a hold of your title than it is to win it but I’m going to be training as a challenger. Winning the world title, I never treated that fight any different to any of my other ones and it is certainly not going to be the case with this one coming up.”

He added: “I always give 110 percent no matter what and in that ring if you haven’t trained 110 percent it can be a lonely place so I’m leaving nothing to chance.”

Burns defied his critics, and the odds, when he got up off the canvas to take the title from Puerto Rican champion Roman Martinez at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall last month. This time however, the venue will be Braehead Arena where Burns forged the early part of his professional career fighting on the undercard of another of Scotland’s great champions Scott Harrison.

It is now time for Burns to take the top billing as Scotland’s reigning world champion and bring the big fight nights back to Glasgow where they have been sorely missed.

He said: “We moved the arena to Braehead, that’s where I boxed some of my up and coming fights so it will be great to get a return there as well.”

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