Manager Steven Feder says that his client Raymundo Beltran will get his first world title shot, facing WBO lightweight titleholder Ricky Burns on September 7 in Scotland, according to a report at BoxingScene.com.
Burns (36-2, 11 KO) got past Jose "Chelo" Gonzalez in his last defense on May 11 in Glasgow, when Gonzalez quit on his stool after the ninth round, leading 87-84 on all three cards at the time. Burns struggled badly in that fight, but he also showed a second gear and an ability to turn up the heat and attack with his back against the wall, and he forced the stoppage as much as anything.
Beltran (28-6, 17 KO) is better than his record might make one think, with three straight wins over Hank Lundy, Ji-Hoon Kim, and Alejandro Rodriguez. His last two losses, to prospects Sharif Bogere and Luis Ramos Jr, were both debatable. The Wild Card gym fighter is a familiar sparring partner from earlier in Manny Pacquiao's career, and has started to put his own career together nicely at age 31.
In my view, it's a good, solid fight. Beltran has done what he can to fight his way here, and is a legitimate contender right now. Burns is still on a good run in terms of winning fights, but Beltran is more than just dangerous here, especially if Burns is as vulnerable as he looked against Gonzalez in May.