Boxing: Champion Burns keeps WBO title

Ricky Burns finally fought like a world champion when he dominated and forced Ghana's Joseph Laryea to quit at the end of seven one-sided rounds to retain his World Boxing Organisation super-featherweight title on Saturday in Glasgow.

Burns is the unlikeliest of Britain's four world champions, but there were signs against Laryea that he has come to terms with being considered one of the best fighters in the world. There are three other champions at his weight at present and Burns is desperate for some type of partial unification.

Poor Laryea never stood a chance and bravely withdrew from the fight to prevent taking any more punishment.

It is obvious that Burns is ready for bigger fights. "I want one of the other champions, I'm ready now," insisted Burns, who is likely to get veteran South African Mzonke Fana, the International Boxing Federation champion in either his next or his second fight from now.