For the second fight running Burns was out of sorts and only sporadically hauled himself into the fight as a determined Beltran got up in his face and did damage to the defending Scot time and again.
The injury would obviously have had an affect on Burns, although Beltran did the damage and deserved to win and take the WBO lightweight belt. Promoter Eddie Hearn was not talking of a possible rematch this morning though and is only worried about his fighter’s well-being and recovery.
“He is in a bad way to be honest with you,” Hearn told Sky Sports News. “The doctors confirmed he has a quite significant clean break in his jaw.
“It was sustained in the second round and he was in some pain so they went in this morning to operate and now it’s a waiting game really. It’s going to be uncomfortable, but he is in safe hands now and the main concern is for his well-being. I am hoping the operation was a success and he can resume his career at some point.
“Ricky showed immense bravery because if you’d seen him in hospital last night, you would have wondered how he got through one round let alone ten.”
Burns, 30, faces a period of recuperation before the Coatbridge man can even think about a return to the ring, but may have mandatory obligations with the WBO that would rule out an immediate rematch with Beltran anyway.
