Ricky Burns has surgery on broken jaw

The scoring was controversial, but there's no doubting the toughness of Ricky Burns, who fought 10 rounds yesterday with a clean break in his jaw, leaving with a disputed draw against Raymundo Beltran in Glasgow.

Burns had surgery today, having a metal plate inserted into the jaw. Promoter Eddie Hearn says doctors were amazed that Burns could fight with the injury.

"The big concern now is for his well-being and also hoping that the operation was successful enough so he can resume his career at some point," Hearn told Sky Sports News today.

"I didn't realize the severity of the injury. I spoke to Beltran after the fight and he said he could hear Ricky almost squealing every time they were in a clinch, because the heads were going in and stuff like that. You know, there's a lot of controversy around the fight and scoring of the fight. I appreciate you don't get extra points for being brave, but I think the doctors said they had no idea how he could carry on for ten rounds with a break like that.

"You think about the pain every time you're in a clinch or any time you're getting punched, particularly the knockdown in the eighth. That was a left hook clean on the jaw. Right on the area. These boxers are special people, and he showed immense bravery. If you'd seen him in the hospital last night, you would have wondered how he got through one round, let alone ten."

Beltran said much the same to Sky Sports in his post-fight interview about hearing Ricky audibly acknowledge the pain, so that's not just big talk.

Hopefully, the 30-year-old Burns (36-2-1, 11 KO) can make a full and successful comeback to the sport following the surgery. Victor Ortiz still hasn't fought since suffering a broken jaw in June 2012, but Ricky Burns isn't Victor Ortiz.