Burns, 30, suffered a broken jaw in what was his fourth WBO lightweight title defence against the rugged Beltran and was fortunate to come away with the coveted belt still is his possession. The Scot fought through ten rounds of excruciating pain to hang on to his title via a debated split decision draw and Hearn revealed the he was keen to pit the pair together again at the earliest opportunity.
After surgery in the immediate aftermath of the fight and an extended period of recovery, Burns has been cleared to make his comeback following initial reports that the injuries suffered against Beltran may have put his career in danger.
Hearn was keen to bring a somewhat disgruntled Beltran back to Burns’ homeland for what will surely be another war and may be in a position to announce something more formal soon – despite the challenger previously stating he would only sign on for a second fight in the USA.
“We are very close to securing the Ricky Burns v Raymundo Beltran rematch in Glasgow for early February,” Hearn told World Boxing News.
“Ricky wants the fight, Raymundo wants this fight and I think boxing needs this fight.”
Alex Morrison, manager of Burns added: “The fight is almost done, We are just waiting for WBO approval for Glasgow in February.”
Beltran, 32, has reportedly been inundated with offers since putting in a great performance at the Scottish Exhibition Centre and will no doubt feel confident of becoming world champion against a fighter in Burns that he believes he has already beaten.
Fans can expect another edge of the seat, toe-to-toe battle once the two sign on the dotted line for fight number two in 2014, with Burns sporting a titanium plate in his jaw as a reminder of what dangers Beltran can bring to the table.
