RICKY BURNS admits that he must use the next defence of his WBO lightweight title against Raymundo Beltran to lay down a marker.

Despite winning his last outing against previously unbeaten Puerto Rican Jose Gonzalez after the challenger quit on his stool at the end of the ninth round, he accepts that his performance was sub-standard.

Now, against highly rated Mexican-born but US-based Beltran – ranked No.8 by the WBO and coming off a three-fight winning roll in decent company – the Coatbridge ace accepts nothing but his best will do.

With a possible New Year outing at legendary New York venue Madison Square Garden in the pipeline, Burns knows he must produce his top form at the SECC on Saturday, September 7.

The WBO lightweight champion said: "I realise that people were saying that I didn't have it at world title level after the Gonzalez fight and I know that I must use Beltran to make a statement this time around.

"Beltran is a member of the Top Rank stable and he is trained by Freddie Roache at the Wild Card Gym and for years he has been one of Manny Pacquiao's preferred sparring partners.

"He is the real deal and as well as being ranked No.8 by the WBO he is also No.3 in the IBF rankings and No.6 in the WBC rankings.

"So you look at all of that and you see that he is blue-chip opposition and I'll really have to produce my best to beat him.

"Eddie Hearn has big things planned for me in the New Year and that Madison Square Garden is being talked about but Beltran is very highly regarded across the pond and if I can win it would be a huge springboard to these fights.

"That is why there is no way I can look beyond him."

For his part, Burns' promoter Eddie Hearn was in no mood to play down the size of the task in front of his man and said: "This is just a very big fight for Ricky at an absolutely crucial time of his career.

"But I believe that Ricky is the best fighter in the lightweight division after Adrien Broner has moved up.

"He needs to prove that point and by beating Beltran he can take a huge step towards that and set up some huge fights in 2014."

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