Joseph Laryea Fails To Win Title

Ricky Burns made a successful second defence of his WBO super-featherweight title against Joseph Laryea at the Braehead Arena as the Ghanaian retired at the end of seven punishing rounds with a damaged hand.

The champion appeared to be well ahead in an occasionally bruising encounter when the awkward African went back to the corner for a well-earned breather. However, there was some disappointment when the contest was declared over, with Laryea's corner claiming their man had broken a knuckle in his right hand.

It was something of an anti-climax but Burns would have been confident of coming out on top regardless and the 27-year-old can now set himself for a unification fight with South Africa's IBF champion Mzonke Fana in the summer.

Laryea, who had convincingly beaten Paul Appleby at the same venue in December, has a powerful straight jab and in an explosive opening he had similar success against Burns.

The champion landed a terrific body shot in round two, after good left hooks earlier in the round but the challenger, who would occasionally swing wildly and erratically, kept coming forward.

By the sixth round Burns looked to be ahead and the African's jab was having much less impact. He was on the receiving end of regular right hooks from Burns, although it was a left hook in the seventh which got his fans on their feet.

Laryea appeared to signal to his corner that he was in pain and after an excitable exchange with his corner, it was announced that he would not be coming out, leaving Burns to take the acclaim of his supporters.

Earlier on, the British super-middleweight champion, James DeGale, a late addition to the bill, recorded a predictably easy win over Alpay Kobal, stopping the veteran French journeyman in the fifth round.