Burns retains WBO lightweight belt with TKO

Ricky Burns. AFP FILE PHOTO

GLASGOW, Scotland – Ricky Burns of Scotland stopped Kevin Mitchell of England in the fourth round to keep his minor WBO lightweight title a second time before a partisan crowd on Saturday.

After Burns sent Mitchell to the canvas a second time, referee Terry O’Connor stepped in and handed Burns the TKO win, his 20th in a row.

Burns (35-2, 10 KO) quickly took charge against Mitchell (33-2, 24 KO), and really made his mark in the fourth when a left-right combination dropped Mitchell. The Englishman recovered, but a big right put him down again. Mitchell survived the count but not another flurry, when O’Connor decided to intervene.