Billy Nelson under fire for 'best ever Scottish boxer' claim

ALEX Morrison, manager of Ricky Burns, has issued a strong rebuke to the WBO super-featherweight champion's trainer Billy Nelson for suggesting the 27-year-old is on course to become Scotland's greatest boxer of all time.

Nelson has guided Burns to the WBO title, which he defends for the second time against Joseph Laryea of Ghana at the Braehead Arena tomorrow night. But Morrison has taken exception to Nelson's claim, made earlier this week, that Burns can eclipse the achievements of Scottish ring legends such as Ken Buchanan and Jim Watt over the coming years.

Morrison, who personally regards former British and European bantamweight champion Peter Keenan as the finest Scottish pugilist he has seen, also accused Nelson of placing undue pressure on Burns ahead of the fight against Laryea.

"I wish to disassociate myself from recent comments in the media by Billy Nelson, in which he claimed Ricky is two fights away from becoming Scotland's best-ever boxer," said veteran manager Morrison in a statement last night.

"Ricky will be happy that he is being compared to former champions like Jim Watt, Ken Buchanan and Scott Harrison, but will be very unhappy that anyone working closely with him has said he is, or even close to becoming, Scotland's best ever-boxer. What about Peter Keenan? He never won a world title because he had fallen out with his manager, Tommy Gilmour Senior, weeks prior to his world title fight.

"Ricky has a lot to live up to and I am sure he will do so. However, he does not need pressure like this put upon him. My ambition for Ricky is that he leaves the ring like Jim Watt did, with his health, money, popularity and looks intact. Billy Nelson has done a terrific job with Ricky and has improved him to different levels. But he should remember that is where his role ends and let Ricky do his talking in the ring."