Alex Arthur says he won’t contest a rematch with Ricky Burns and will instead move up to light-welterweight division.

Burns, the newly crowned interim WBO lightweight champion, lost to Arthur five years ago in a European, Commonwealth and British super-featherweight title bout in Edinburgh.

The Coatbridge boxer is now targeting a succession of titles, having defended the WBO super-featherweight title three times, and speculation was rife he would come face-to-face with Arthur once again.

Arthur says he had been keen to face Burns but has decided to step up in weight on the advice of his coaches.

“I just want to state that I want to and would love to fight Ricky for the interim title but I am no longer capable of safely making lightweight,” Arthur said in a statement.

“I lost my WBO super-featherweight title against Nicky Cook because I was dead at the weight having outgrown the super-featherweight ranks but still went ahead with the bout. I have learned from that mistake and do not want to repeat it.

“I actually wrote to my promoter Frank Warren last month regarding his plans for my next contest and stated in the letter that I was struggling at lightweight but would still like to face the winner of the Burns-Katsidis contest.

“However, with the advice I have been given, I now realise I should move up. It is a no win situation and my family, trainer Peter Harrison, conditioning coach and nutritionist are of the same opinion.

“I hope to return to the ring next year. Regardless of where my next fight takes place and who the opponent is, I will be entering the ring as a light-welterweight.”