Ricky Burns managed to defeat a gifted world champion in a monumental upset.
Throughout his career, the Scotsman proved himself to be a formidable fighter, blessed with an unrelenting will to win.
On occasion, he entered his bouts as an underdog, keen to prove the doubters wrong.
And he certainly did that when he overcame one of Puerto Rico’s finest.
WOW: Amir Khan defeated future Boxing Hall of Famer after the legend sustained a horrendous cut
Ricky Burns defeated Roman Martinez in a huge upset
While many remember Roman Martinez getting knocked out brutally by Vasiliy Lomachenko, at the peak of his powers, he was a true force of nature.
When the then WBO super featherweight champion of the world flew out to Glasgow, Scotland, to defend his belt against Ricky Burns, very few expected him to lose.
However, while the fans doubted he had the minerals to get the job done, the hometown hero had other ideas.
The fight, contested on September 4, 2010, couldn’t have started any worse for Burns, with Martinez dropping him inside the very first round.
However, rather than letting the pressure get to him, the brawler bit down on his gumshield and went to work, landing big shots on his opponent.
In a twelve-round battle, Burns fought out of his skin, taking it to the champion with significant scoring shots.
Following 12 hard-fought rounds, the underdog emerged with a unanimous decision victory and the world title around his waist.
Josh Taylor destroyed a terrifying, undefeated knockout artist inside the very first round
Once his time at the pinnacle of the sport was over, Burns handed the baton of Scottish boxing over to Josh Taylor.
‘The Tartan Tornado’ hit the big time, winning multiple world titles.
Utilizing his pressure fighting skills, the crafty operator would break his opponents down and eventually drown them.
However, when needed, he could punch, too. Taylor once stopped a fearsome knockout artist inside the first round.