Weigh-in alert: Ricky Burns 139.4, Julius Indongo 139.1

Ricky Burns (left) and Julius Indongo. Photo: Shabba Shafiq

Apr

GLASGOW, Scotland – It’s all systems go for the IBF and WBA junior welterweight unification bout at the SSE Hydro on Saturday.

Julius Indongo, who is rated No. 6 by THE RING, looked confident, piping-fit and ready for action as he took to the scales at the city’s St. Enoch Center. The IBF titleholder weighed in officially at 139.1 pounds and was all smiles despite being heckled by his opponent’s home support.

Ricky Burns, who is rated No. 4 by THE RING, looked equally impressive at 139.4 pounds and is growing comfortably into his new weight class. “The Rickster” captured the vacant WBA title with an eighth-round stoppage of Michele Di Rocco last May, and defended successfully against mandatory challenger Kiryl Relikh in October.

During the traditional head-to-head, Indongo yelled at his fellow-titleholder before making a cut-throat gesture. Burns, a professional for almost 16 years, and a veteran of 11 world title fights, has encountered such theatrics before. The Scotsman laughed, shook his head, waved to fans and walked off stage.

Indongo, a southpaw, burst on to the world scene with a spectacular one-punch knockout of then-IBF titleholder Eduard Troyanovski in Russia last December. The fight was over in just 40 seconds, however the remainder of his opposition has been undistinguished. This unification bout will mark only the second time that Indongo has competed outside of his native Namibia.

Burns is (41-5-1, 14 knockouts) and Indongo is (21-0, 11 KOs).

The event will air on Sky Sports 2 in the U.K. Tickets are on general sale priced at £40, £60 and £100 from www.thessehydro.com and £200 VIP exclusively at www.matchroomboxing.com

Tom Gray is a UK Correspondent/ Editor for RingTV.com and a member of THE RING ratings panel. Follow him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing

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