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Burns to step up to lightweight, Katsidis awaits

ESPN staff
September 14, 2011
Ricky Burns defeated Nicky Cook in a single round in July © Getty Images
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Scotland's Ricky Burns is vacating his WBO super featherweight title in the hope of becoming a two-weight champion at lightweight, with his first fight expected to be against the hard-hitting Michael Katsidis on November 12.

The 28-year-old, who has won 32 of his 34 bouts, has decided to leave the 130lb-division because it was becoming difficult to make the weight limit before his fights.

Burns' debut at the new weight will see the Scot step into the ring with interim WBO lightweight champion Katsidis, who destroyed Kevin Mitchell inside three rounds at Upton Park last year, at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow - although the exact date of the fight is yet to be confirmed.

"We have had confirmation through from Frank Warren's people that Ricky will now face Katsidis in November. The lightweight title is vacant just now and we are all agreed that this is the best fight for Ricky in the long run," Burns' manager Alex Morrison told boxingscene.

"As Ricky gets older he is struggling to make the weight for his current division and the next sensible step seemed to be to move up to lightweight. I don't think he will have any problems in this division as he has always been big for a super-featherweight and he is a hard puncher."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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