Willie wants Nurse win to set up World title showdown
Willie Limond is hoping for double-delight on Saturday night at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow live on Sky Sports – claiming his British Super-Lightweight title back from Tyrone Nurse and then watching Ricky Burns become a three-weight World champion, so they can clash in an all-Scotland World title blockbuster.
Limond vacated the title that he won against Curtis Woodhouse in June 2014 after a shoulder injury ruled him out of a clash with Chris Jenkins.
Limond was told that he would get a shot at the winner as Jenkins and Nurse met for the belt, but with their first meeting in July ending in a draw, they boxed for the title once more in November, with Nurse prevailing on points.
Nurse won the title by a handy distance despite hitting the deck hard in the fifth round, and Limond knows he’s up against a real talent in the Huddersfield man this weekend.
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“I rate Tyrone highly,” said Limond. “He’s a big boy at the weight and he’s very skilful, but I am very good at adapting to different styles. Tyrone (pic above right) is the champion so I have to fight him to get the title back, it’s pretty simple.
“I’ve watched a few of his fights and on some of them I wasn’t that impressed with him to be honest, but in some fights when he puts it all together he’s a very good fighter. Is he in the class of the guys that have beaten me? I don’t think so. It should be a good fight though and one way or the other, I don’t think that it’s going to go the distance.”
Burns takes on Michele Di Rocco for the vacant WBA World Super-Lightweight title on the top of the bill, and Limond believes that Burns will make history and then they can make a huge domestic World title fight down the line.
Ricky Burns
“Me versus Ricky – that’s a massive fight and a no-brainer,” said Limond. “It’s easy to make, I’d be up for it, Ricky would be up for it, Sky Sports would be up for it, Eddie Hearn would be up for it, Glasgow would be up for it, the who of Scotland would be up for it. I believe Ricky will get the job done and I am confident I will too.“It’s so big, we live three miles from each other, we’ve known each other for years and I respect Ricky as a boxer and as a man, but if it’s a fight that makes sense then let’s get it sorted.”
Limond’s clash with Nurse and Burns’ shot at three-weight World title glory is part of a huge night of action in Glasgow as Newcastle’s Jon Lewis Dickinson meets Belfast’s Tommy McCarthy in an eliminator for the British Cruiserweight Title.
Olympic Bronze medallist Anthony Ogogo returns from injury, Conor Benn fights for the second time in the paid ranks, Islington Middleweight John Ryder is in action and there’s a host of young Scots on display, including Commonwealth gold medal winner Charlie Flynn, Joe Ham and Lewis Paulin.
Tickets for Glasgow are on general sale with those in the £40-£100 bracket available from the SSE Hydro website http://www.thessehydro.com/ and on 0844 395 4000 and 0800 952 0110 (accessible). VIP tickets at £200 are exclusively available at www.matchroomboxing.com
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