Join Will Cooling at 4:30pm ET/9.30pm GMT for live coverage of Scotland’s Ricky Burns making the first defense of his newly won WBO Super-Featherweight Title against Norwegian Andreas Evensen in Glasgow’s Braehead Arena. Burns is fresh off a career-best performance against Rocky Martinez, upsetting the heavily favored former champion in a Fight of the Year candidate.
WBO Super-Featherweight Title Match
Ricky Burns vs. Andreas Evensen
Round One
Evening folks and welcome to tonight’s live coverage of Ricky Burns vs. Andreas Evensen. Burns will be looking to impress and continue the momentum he gained in beating Martinez. The reaction are as you would expect, with Evensen being roundly booed and Burns wildly cheered by the partisan crowd.
Ricky Burns scores a flash knockdown straight away, catching Evensen with a straight punch. Evensen doesn’t seem overly effected but is dominated by Burns. The taller, lonegr champion controlling the fight by pumping out the jab, and mixing in the odd uppercut. Evensen looks game, trying to move forward but with the exception of some lunging punches that connect in the last minute he can’t get past Burns’ defenses. 10-8
Round Two
Evensen tries to push the action but is clearly struggling to overcome his physical disadvantages. After being on the back foot for the opening minute of the round, Burns reasserts his jab to regain control. Whilst Evensen is getting inside more than in the first round, Burns is doing a better job in putting punches together with some lovely combinations landing square on Evensen’s chin. 20-17.
Round Three
Evensen again tries to go on the offensive only to be picked apart by the champion. Burns is just landing the jab at will, controlling the center of the ring and so dominating the fight. He’s also doing a good job in slipping in combinations when the opportunity presents itself, his short hooks being particularly eye catching. Evensen is reduce to lunging punches and the odd body shot. 30-26.
Round Four
A far less comfortable round for Burns, with the champion losing his composure and so unable to impose his jab on the challenger. Evensen is able to close the distance and land the better of the punches. He was also able to frustrate Burns, reducing the champion to constantly holding when Evensen threatened inside instead of looking to fire off the jab as in earlier rounds. Evensen is looking the stronger of the two. 39-36
Round Five
The fight is certainly narrowing although Burns produces the best punch of the fight with a lovely straight right that snaps Evensen’s head back. Evensen still poured forward throughout the round, aggressively pushing the action and forcing Burns to fight his fight.He puts Burns under constant pressure throughout, not giving the champion the space he had early on to work the jab. 48-46
Round Six
The fight is hanging in the balance, however Burns still has the height and reach advantage to comfortably dominate when he he’s fully composed. Unfortunately for the Scot he’s looking increasingly ragged in this fight, frequently holding and getting dragged into trading on the inside. He however steals the round with a terrific sequence towards the end where he put together several hooks to the body and chopping right hands.58-55.
Round Seven
Very much more of the same from the two, with Burns controlling the fight at a distance but Evensen showing plenty of menance when he can get past the jab and force Burns to engage inside. Burns is doing a better job of standing his ground and not getting sucked into fighting Evensen’s fight. Burns is however particular success with the left hook but is lacking the power to hurt Evensen. Still Burns’ round though. 68-64.
Round Eight
Burns starts with some excellent shots to the body but Evensen pushes back to unload some punches whilst trapping Burns on the ropes. A back and forth round, with both boxers doing terrific work; Burns dissecting Evensen with timed punches to the head and body whilst Evensen tries to overwhelm the champion with superior workrate. Burns patience in the middle-rounds and punching success is starting to bear fruit. 78-73.
Round Nine
A much better round for Evensen who is able to bully a disengaged Burns in the opening two minutes although Burns come back strong with several short bursts in the second half of the round. Burns may well have stolen the round with several late combinations but on my scorecard its Evensen’s. 87-83.
Round Ten
Burns is really tested by Evensen in this round, with the champion looking tired and under pressure. Evensen gets numerous overhand punches through, pushing the champion back onto the ropes midway through. Burns looks to steady himself and regain the intiative but is clearly struggling to match the pace that the challenger has dictated since Round Five. 96-93
Round Eleven
Burns is comprehensively outworked early in the round by Evensen, but Burns lands the session’s quality punch with a short uppercut snapping the challenger’s head back. He follows up with a short right cross and Evensen is visibly effected. Problems with Evensen’s glove give the fighters breathing space and whilst he doesn’t again come close to finishing Evensen, Burns does seee out the round in control. 106-102
Round Twelve
An exhausted Burns is clearly outworked by Evenson but manages to avoid any major scares in the final round. While he surrenders the final round he takes the fight on my scorecard115-1112. The judges give it to with scores of 119-108, 119-108,118-109. Burns was very comfortable in the first four rounds, controlling from the center with his jab but as he tired Evenson strongly came back into the fight. Burns fought cleverly as he was clearly struggling to match the pace set by the challenger, fighting in short bursts to steal rounds.
Ricky Burns defeated Andreas Evensen via unanimous decision (119-108, 119-108, 118-109)
